The stratospherically-capable hybrid powertrain of the McLaren P1 hypercar has proven more than successful, but we the under-financed can rejoice; McLaren Automotive’s affair with electrification doesn’t end there. If CEO Mike Flewitt has his way, we ought to see at least half of the carmaker’s offerings gain hybridization by 2025.
“I have said in 10 years I expect half of our cars to be hybrids, but I actually think it will be faster. And I think it could be more than half,” Flewitt told Auto Express. “Will we put that on all vehicles? If I could get the cost and weight right I absolutely would. Our strategy is to use technology to produce the best driving cars.”
And so far, McLaren Automotive is doing a bang-up job on that front, but not all of the marque’s eggs are in the hybridization basket. Two new cars are soon to come to the Sports Series – currently comprised of the 540C and 570S – which Auto Express reports will likely be a GT version of the 570S, plus a Spyder variant of that car to arrive around 2017. The Ultimate Series will also gain another model, in the form of a supercar slotted between the 650S and P1.
Rather regardless of if or when McLaren Automotive manages to check off all the aforementioned boxes, Flewitt says that he anticipates sales to increase to 4,000 units per-annum by 2017, with production capped at that level if necessary to keep the marque exclusive. The carmaker’s sales for 2014 totalled 1,649, that figure itself representing an 18 percent increase over 2013. Operating profits increased an astonishing 68 percent.
All things considered, it looks like McLaren Automotive is well on its way.
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