Though there may be certain advantages to be gained from becoming part of a larger organization, such as access to distribution channels, legal protection and increased network of parts suppliers, recent reports indicate that McLaren Automotive’s intentions are to remain an independent manufacturer.
Bloomberg Business had a chance to speak with Jolyon Nash, executive director of sales and marketing at McLaren Automotive, at the Shanghai Auto Show, and an April 28 article detailed the highlights of that conversation. One reason for their intent to remain independent comes from the speed with which they are able to develop and release new vehicles.
“We’re very quick to move,” Nash said in the article. “Our product development life cycles are very efficient. In an industry like this, those are great advantages.”
And quick to move they are. Since the beginning of 2015, they’ve introduced the P1 GTR, 675LT, 570S Coupe and the 540C Coupe; essentially, they’ve released four cars in as many months, an almost unheard of rate for supercar development. This brings their total number of production models to seven, which is quite impressive considering the fact that they first opened their doors as a manufacturer in 2011.
In addition to releasing four models this year, McLaren Automotive expanded their reach to Mexico City and appointed a new Chief Designer. The Bloomberg article describes that there are plans to extend further into the Asian markets with new McLaren dealers in China and Japan, all of which shows their aggressive and strong entry into this niche segment.
(See Also: McLaren P1 GTR at The Collection)
And just because they plan to remain independent rather than entering one of the multi-marque automotive groups does not mean they aren’t placing proper value on strong partnerships with other companies. An April 29 release from the marque announced their extension of a technical partnership with Akzonobel, the Dutch firm responsible for the stunning paint colors on McLaren vehicles.
We look forward to seeing what’s next for this maverick manufacturer, and invite you to take a moment to browse our exclusive McLaren listings at the button below. As always, stay with us for more updates from the automotive world.
(Source: McLaren Automotive, Bloomberg Business)
