McLaren has been testing a new car for the Sports Series for some time, but now we see the partially electrically powered McLaren in its true form for the first time.
In the near future, McLaren will fully focus on partially electric powertrains. Not only the Sport Series, but also the Super Series will eventually be manned by cars with a combustion engine in combination with an electric motor. About a year and a half ago we spotted a prototype of the hybrid Super Series and the Sports Series appeared at the beginning of this year. We now see the latter again, with the biggest news that the actual carriage is now on the car. Last time it was a mule; a car disguised as the current Sports Series.
The model you see here is the basis for what will be the successors to the 540, 570 and 600. The Changing of the Guard will start next year. One thing is for sure, you don’t have to look twice to spot him McLaren. Yet clearly a lot is changing. For example, the headlights are larger and have a significantly different shape than the current ones, which still resemble the McLaren logo. The lines from the very low foot of the A-pillar to the high hip area looks familiar, but at the back it degenerates into something mysterious. McLaren is clearly working to hide things well there, so expect a quite different stern from the current Sports Series.
Under the carriage is a completely new platform, which McLaren recently revealed. The main novelty is that it offers space for hybrid powertrains. As mentioned, the newcomer photographed here is built around that base and the Super Series will also be based on this. McLaren’s goal is of course to deliver comparable performance to today, but with a smaller combustion engine. In the corridors there is talk of a (double) blown V6, coupled to an electric motor, as the possible beating heart of the new McLarens. Naturally, the new powertrain must reduce CO2 emissions and consumption. A few dozen kilometers of fully electric driving will probably also be possible. Handy if you’re going to send a game with your McLaren early in the morning, but want to keep the neighborhood close.