McLaren Unveils All-new Platform for Future Hybrid Supercars
British supercar maker McLaren has unveiled a brand new, flexible and lightweight architecture that will underpin its next generation of models, all of which will be electrified.
This new chassis was designed specifically to accommodate new hybrid powertrains. It has been entirely engineered, developed and produced in-house in the U.K.
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Without giving any details, the company is talking about innovative, world-first processes and techniques to strip out excess mass, reduce overall vehicle weight, while also further improving safety attributes. Naturally, engineers are using carbon fibre.
The first next-gen hybrid supercar to be based on the all-new architecture will be the replacement for the current McLaren 570S (pictured below). The launch is scheduled for 2021, but camouflaged prototypes have already been spotted on the road. We hear a twin-turbocharged V6 engine will combine with electric motors to achieve targeted 0-100 km/h acceleration in about 2.5 seconds.
“The new ground-breaking vehicle architecture is every bit as revolutionary as the MonoCell chassis we introduced with the company’s first car, the 12C, when we first embarked on making production vehicles a decade ago,” said McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt, who hinted at “levels of electrified high-performance motoring that until now have simply been unattainable.”
He added: “For us, light-weighting and electrification go hand-in-hand to achieve better performance as well as more efficient vehicles.”
McLaren’s "Track25" plan calls for the launch of 18 new models and variants globally by 2025. However, the financial troubles experienced by the company lately (and the 1,200 jobs cut due to COVID-19) will inevitably cause significant delays.