McLaren Automotive has announced a £500m (US$673m) investment program to expand its UK manufacturing, engineering and operations, enabling it to accelerate the development of its next generation of models.
Nick Collins, chief executive officer of McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive, said, “This investment gives us the platform to grow, develop and build on what makes us distinctive, while investing in the people, technologies and products that will keep us competitive for decades to come.”
Expanding McLaren Automotive in the UK
The investment will enable McLaren Automotive to expand its production capacity and increase vehicle output in the UK, including the production of the next generation of McLaren models and a newly confirmed performance SUV. The expansion will be supported by a new vehicle assembly facility planned for the UK.
For the first time, McLaren Automotive’s future powertrains will be designed and built in-house, starting with two new engines and transmissions. The move will support the company’s hybrid powertrain strategy, building on its use of hybrid technology, which began with the McLaren P1.
McLaren Automotive will also expand operations at the McLaren production center in Woking and its carbon-fiber manufacturing and research facility in South Yorkshire at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre.
The company has recently opened two new UK sites – a design and innovation center at the McLaren Creation Centre in Bicester, and a testing and vehicle development facility in the Midlands. Together with its Woking headquarters and South Yorkshire carbon-fiber facility, they form an integrated UK operation, from design through to advanced manufacturing.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said, “McLaren Automotive is doubling down on Britain, keeping the design, the engineering and the building of every future car here, and taking on a thousand more people to do it.
“Their investment will create high-quality apprenticeships, jobs and drive growth far beyond their factory gates. It is how you get skilled work, decent wages and pride back into a place.
“It’s this kind of partnership between government and business that will help us reindustrialize communities and make every part of Britain better off. I want young people to see that and know there is a future for them in making things, wherever they grew up.”
New products, skills and jobs
McLaren Automotive is “building a complete portfolio around the supercar”, the auto maker said, and plans to enter new categories including the performance SUV segment. The investment will provide the manufacturing capacity, technology and skills required to bring its future models to market.
The program will create at least 1,000 new direct and indirect jobs across McLaren’s UK operations by 2032, while safeguarding existing roles. McLaren Automotive’s UK manufacturing workforce is expected to double, supported by new apprenticeships aimed at developing future talent.
The investment will strengthen McLaren Automotive’s expertise in lightweighting, carbon fiber and advanced manufacturing, while securing critical intellectual property and production capabilities in the UK.
Jassem Al Zaabi, managing director and group chief executive officer of L’IMAD, commented, “Over the past 20 months, L’IMAD has worked closely with McLaren Automotive’s management team, supporting the business in sharpening its strategic direction and positioning itself for long-term growth.
“This investment reflects our confidence in its potential and our commitment to backing the business through its next chapter, building on the heritage, engineering excellence and distinctive brand that has defined McLaren for more than six decades.”
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