Woking-based McLaren Automotive — the British manufacturer of luxury sports cars and super cars — had another record year of growth in 2017, selling a total of 3,340 cars.
Around two-thirds of sales can be attributed to the Sports Series family, with the rest coming from the Super Series. Last year saw the introduction of new models in each of the company’s three established product families: the 570S Spider was added to the Sports Series, the 720S replaced the 650S in the Super Series, and the McLaren Senna joined the Ultimate Series.
To support these new-model launches and an increase in customer demand, a second shift was introduced in 2016 at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC), where each car is hand-assembled. The MPC is now building up to 20 cars a day.
Mike Flewitt, the CEO of McLaren Automotive (
www.cars.mclaren.com), said: “Demand was strong in 2017, with interest particularly robust in our biggest market — North America.
“With an order book stretching well into this summer, it is expected that nearly half of our 2018 sales will derive from the Super Series.
“Meanwhile, the Ultimate Series continues to surpass our expectations, with a completely full order book for both the newly unveiled McLaren Senna and another future model codenamed BP23.
“We are continuing to invest heavily in research and development — £1 billion over six years — as part of our ambitious Track 22 business plan.
“This will see us launching 15 new cars and/or derivatives up to 2022, with three revealed to date. 2018 will also see the continued development of the company, with the planned opening of a second production facility in Yorkshire.
“When this is fully operational in 2019, we will innovate and manufacture the carbon fibre ‘tubs’ at the heart of all of our cars. Carbon fibre is a core part of our brand’s DNA, but it is also crucial to vehicle performance, given its lightweight nature.
“Making cars lighter and making increasing use of hybrid powertrains are the future of vehicle design, which we are well positioned for.”