McLaren has a new lightweight carbon fiber tub produced at a fancy $65 million composite plant near Sheffield as efficiently as possible. Meanwhile, engine partner Ricardo cooked up a new V6 engine for Woking so that McLaren’s next-generation lineup can go hybrid in a way that provides its cars with “medium-range EV-only drive capability” as well.
The quite brilliant “entry-level” McLaren Sports Series debuted in 2015 with the 570S and will come to an end once the last of the limited-run, GT4-inspired 620R road cars leave the McLaren Production Centre at the end of this year. The all-new hybrid supercar will sit between the GT and the 720S in the McLaren range, meaning it will be priced more like a $259,000 600LT than the currently cheapest Sports Series cars at just under $200,000.
As you can tell from these teaser images, the High-Performance Hybrid (HPH) supercar is already in its final stages of development, with McLaren all set for a premier in the first half of 2021. Following that, all future cars from Woking will feature hybrid powertrains, possibly aided by a pair of turbochargers.
McLaren, of course, already has experience with hybrid supercars, but only at the highest level. While it’s been five years since the 903-horsepower P1 went away, the ultra-futuristic Speedtail is here right now with its 1,035 hp, 250-mph top speed and $2.3 million price tag. Expect the new HPH supercar to take pointers from these models, albeit on a smaller, simpler level given the price difference.
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