Wednesday 1st July 2015

McLaren promises new 'Ultimate' models

CEO Mike Flewitt confirms to PH that we will see both road and track models in the next few years

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How do you better the McLaren P1 GTR? It's a real issue for Mike Flewitt, the company's CEO, who admits that several different proposals are under consideration for the next incarnation of its 'Ultimate' series.

Where do you go from here?

We interviewed Flewitt earlier this year about his plans for the company's future, but another meeting at the financial results press conference last week gave us a chance to press him a bit further. And he admitted that buyers are likely to expect any future Ultimate model to go even quicker than the P1 or P1 GTR.

"We would have to be very brave not to get faster, because that's the way the market tends to move," he said. "We would love to do a car that's just cut down, maybe 1,200kg and with no regard for top speed - great aero, light weight, and a total focus on driveability. But would we get panned in the press if we did that, if we produced a car that couldn't match the performance of the last car? It's a real risk."

Although he admitted in our last interview that we will see a proper replacement for the P1 in the fullness of time, it will come after 2020. In the meantime, the plan seems to be the creation of some more niche 'Ultimate' variants.

"We do have one car we're working on conceptually at this stage," he said, "but it's just on paper and as a virtual model. We've got the concept of what we want to and we're working on the rest."

Expect road car specials too

Flewitt also insisted that some of the limited run variants will be road cars, not just GTR-style track specials. "Those things are great fun for us to do," he said, "because you can get away from the requirement to worry about certification... but the demand for a road car is always far bigger - 100 to 500 units, depending on the car. For a track-only variant I'd say it's 25 to 50."

He confirmed that any car will be built around the existing component set, albeit retuned and developed. But has also added that low production volumes also give the potential of completely different design.

"We could certainly do a completely unique carbon tub if it's very low volume," he said, "you wouldn't need to invest in tooling, you could do a hand-made tub. But we'd probably never go more than about 20 to 30 percent completely unique content."

With production starting on the P1 GTR soon it will be fascinating to see what McLaren builds to better it.

[Oddball RS]

I didn't know the current crop were of the HLE variety?

[rejn]

Oddball RS said:

I didn't know the current crop were of the HLE variety?

HLE?



I always knew Metros were ahead of their time.

[keith2.2]

Given the money that can be charged for these things, would it not make sense for them to offer a choice?

Here's the one that's true to our values - it'll out-handle a bluebottle and give your fingers orgasms every time you start to feed in some steering.

PS, purely to make a point - here's the one that'll do 265mph. There's three of them. They're four-million quid and they're all sold.

[rohrl]

I hope they look better than this one-off they made.

[RobM77]

Mike Flew It said:

"We would have to be very brave not to get faster, because that's the way the market tends to move," he said. "We would love to do a car that's just cut down, maybe 1,200kg and with no regard for top speed - great aero, light weight, and a total focus on driveability. But would we get panned in the press if we did that, if we produced a car that couldn't match the performance of the last car? It's a real risk."

He's probably right, but that's a real shame. Imagine a 1200kg Mclaren with a high revving mid-long. mounted 350bhp V6. If they knocked a bit more weight off it'd be Mclaren's answer to an Exige, which I think is a mouth wateringly good idea.

[SirSquidalot]

I predict a P1 roadster!

[daytona365]

Maybe an SUV ?

[Arregueti]

"We would love to do a car that's just cut down, maybe 1,200kg and with no regard for top speed - great aero, light weight, and a total focus on driveability. But would we get panned in the press if we did that, if we produced a car that couldn't match the performance of the last car?"

That car exists. And it is called Lotus. So, he wants to build a Lotus... but does not want to take the risk and will keep doing über-fast cars.

[Guvernator]

Funny you should mention Lotus, they seem to be emulating Lotus "special edition" whoring strategy well enough. Seems you can't go two minutes without Mclaren announcing yet another new edition.

[Davey S2]

Arregueti said:

"We would love to do a car that's just cut down, maybe 1,200kg and with no regard for top speed - great aero, light weight, and a total focus on driveability. But would we get panned in the press if we did that, if we produced a car that couldn't match the performance of the last car?"

I don't think they would. I think the press and car buying public would be thrilled that someone had stopped playing the top speed / Ring time game and produced a real world drivers car which was genuinely useable on the road as well as the track.

It just needs one of the big manufacturers to be the first ones to swallow the brave pill.

[Guvernator]

Davey S2 said:

I don't think they would. I think the press and car buying public would be thrilled that someone had stopped playing the top speed / Ring time game and produced a real world drivers car which was genuinely useable on the road as well as the track.

It just needs one of the big manufacturers to be the first ones to swallow the brave pill.

Sorry but new money doesn't buy this kind of car. If they did, Lotus would be the most successful car company in the world.

In the countries\cultures who can afford supercars these days, flash is king so if it isn't bigger\blingier\faster\more powerful than the last model, it isn't going to sell. Otherwise how would they show people that they were considerably richer than you? It's strange that with a few exceptions, the people who can afford to buy supercars are often those who have the least interest in driving.

[redroadster]

I think McClaren need to look at the new ford gt for some ideas as they have made the car with some interesting aero styling, looks much more race ready I just think they need to be more daring with the styling they have so much experience in aero dept I am sure they can do something more wilder looking ,and if people really want to take them on track would they not be better off doing a race car which can be used on road rather than a road car which can be used on a race track ?

[suffolk009]

I'd quite like a McLaren 325R, half the power (half the engine?) of a 650, stripped out, about 1200kg, some nice aero, windscreen optional,...

I'd also like to see McLaren at LeMans. Any class they like.

[Stevoox]

rohrl said:

I hope they look better than this one-off they made.

This was made specifically to a customers request though.

[Stevoox]

redroadster said:

I think McClaren need to look at the new ford gt for some ideas as they have made the car with some interesting aero styling, looks much more race ready I just think they need to be more daring with the styling they have so much experience in aero dept I am sure they can do something more wilder looking ,and if people really want to take them on track would they not be better off doing a race car which can be used on road rather than a road car which can be used on a race track ?

Really?? I'd say the McLaren aero styling is more interesting and daring than the Ford GT, and the P1 (GTR or not) looks more race ready.

I don't quite get this bit either "would they not be better off doing a race car which can be used on road rather than a road car which can be used on a race track"? The P1 is a road car but can be used on the track. The P1 GTR is a track spec only car (of an already amazing car) just to push more boundaries. The GTR (as mentioned in the article) can be made road legal at a customers request.

[redroadster]

Stevoox said:

Really?? I'd say the McLaren aero styling is more interesting and daring than the Ford GT, and the P1 (GTR or not) looks more race ready.

I don't quite get this bit either "would they not be better off doing a race car which can be used on road rather than a road car which can be used on a race track"? The P1 is a road car but can be used on the track. The P1 GTR is a track spec only car (of an already amazing car) just to push more boundaries. The GTR (as mentioned in the article) can be made road legal at a customers request.

When you look at the fact a radical is faster than a mcclaren around a race track which is a small percentage of the price and which is a track car which can be driven on the road that's where I am coming from, my reasons for commenting on the ford gt areo package was how they had linked the wheel arches to the bodywork I think it opens up a more race ready look and more interesting styling options,i like mcclarens work but feel they could do even better.

[scubadude]

I'd like to see what Mclaren (and for that matter Ferrari and other super car manufacturers) could do if they kept the weight super low 1200kg is fine but what about 1000?

I guess the closest example is the Sesto Elemento- that was a proper bonkers car, very much traditional Lamborghini craziness, Audi must have been on holiday the week they signed that off :-)

Do Mclaren and Ferrari customers also have lightweight track cars? I would have thought it was a typical "accessory" if you could keep them in-house surely tha'ts a good thing?