McLaren has offered a sneak peek into the design philosophy shaping the next wave of its supercars and hypercars. Crafted under the guidance of current design chief Tobias Sühlmann, the new design language draws inspiration from six decades of racing heritage and iconic models like the F1 supercar. However, McLaren emphasizes that these elements will be reinterpreted for the future, ruling out any retro designs.
Central to the new design language is the “Performance Line,” a distinctive shoulder line seen on most McLaren road cars, including the legendary F1. This signature feature contributes to cab-forward designs characterized by short overhangs and a low front end.
Up front, the vehicles will boast two main symmetrical elements with a horizontal layout in the lower fascia, likely serving as intakes. The headlights will adopt the eye-socket style design with integrated intakes, reminiscent of the 750S and its predecessor, the 720S. At the rear, McLaren will retain the open fascia design.
It was adopted from F1, a hallmark of modern McLaren road cars. A wraparound dash design inspired by the F1 will be featured. At a broader level, McLaren outlines five core principles underlying its design language: Epic, Athletic, Functional, Focused, and Intelligent.
While most are self-explanatory, the “Intelligent” principle refers to using advanced materials and seamlessly integrating various design elements. McLaren asserts that the design language is adaptable enough to accommodate an expanded lineup and future powertrain technologies.
Although McLaren has not disclosed specifics regarding the debut of its new design language, speculation points to a potential reveal of the rumored successor to the P1 later this year. Reports suggest that the new hypercar will retain a V-8-based plug-in hybrid powertrain akin to the P1 but introduce a lighter hybrid system and possibly roof-mounted gullwing doors.
