The former CEO of McLaren, Mike Flewitt, was adamantly opposed to the idea of the company delving into SUV production. However, Flewitt stepped down in late 2021, succeeded by Michael Leiters. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Leiters has been instrumental in the development of both the Porsche Cayenne and the Ferrari Purosangue.
If McLaren does decide to pursue an SUV, it is improbable that it will be a run-of-the-mill offering. During an interview with Autocar earlier this year, Leiters hinted that McLaren should develop products that align with the brand’s “DNA” and should avoid creating a conventional SUV.
As of now, McLaren’s ideas for an SUV are still at the investigative phase, as stated by Corstorphine. According to the McLaren executive, the crux is to ascertain if such a vehicle would genuinely represent the brand.
In recent years, McLaren has emerged as a key player in the high-performance car segment. The company’s cars have become iconic and extravagant symbols of opulence and speed, reminiscent of many Lamborghinis that came before. The potential diminishing of this edge by introducing an SUV will be thoroughly weighed by those responsible for shaping the brand’s future strategy. Nevertheless, given the prevailing financial concerns post the pandemic crisis, the appeal of a high-volume SUV model may be too lucrative to overlook.
Have a lead? Inform the author at: lewin@thedrive.com