Who Owns McLaren?
Many performance car brands make powerful models for high-end customers. But few have a storied history in racing as McLaren. Here’s who owns McLaren and the cars the company produces now.
Who owns McLaren?
The McLaren Group has seven shareholders that own the company. The Mumtalakat Holding Company — the sovereign wealth fund of Bahrain — owns a majority at 56.4%, according to United Kingdom government records. TAG Group Limited, led by businessman Mansour Ojjeh, owns 14.32%.
The remaining five shareholders own less than 10% each: Nidala (BVI) Limited (9.84%), Favorita Limited (5.78%), Perlman Investments Limited (5.77%), McKal Holdings Ltd (5.24%), and Acanitt Limited (2.65%). The latest ownership changes occurred in 2018 when businessman Michael Latifi of Nidala (BVI) Limited bought a stake, the BBC reported.
How did McLaren start?
New Zealand native Bruce McLaren began racing when he was 15 in 1953. Ten years later, McLaren founded a Formula 1 team, Bruce McLaren Motor Racing. This came after McLaren’s success in Formula 1 and sports car racing. He gained a reputation for his knowledge and abilities as an engineer and analyst. McLaren died in 1970 while testing a Can-Am car at the Goodwood Circuit in England. He was 32.
American businessman Teddy Mayer took over the team following McLaren’s death. It ended up winning the constructor’s and driver’s championships with Emerson Fittipaldi in 1974.
British Formula 2 and Formula 3 team owner and former mechanic Ron Dennis merged his Project Four team with the McLaren Formula 1 team in 1981. With sponsorship from TAG Group, the company became the TAG McLaren Group.
Under Dennis’ leadership, McLaren became one of the most successful Formula 1 teams in history, Autosport reports. The first car produced by the TAG McLaren Group in 1981 — the MP4/1 — introduced carbon fiber chassis to Formula 1.
McLaren Cars was incorporated in December 1985, U.K. government records show. The group released its first car in 1992: the McLaren F1, according to McLaren. In 2010, the company was rebranded as McLaren Automotive and released the MP4-12C.
Where are McLaren cars made?
Ron Dennis spearheaded the creation of the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) beginning in 1998. Today, engineers and designers make McLaren cars at MTC in Woking, England. The facility opened in 2003, followed by the adjacent McLaren Production Centre in 2011. The 215,000-square foot production facility sees 22 cars hand-assembled daily. Nine street-legal McLaren models are currently in production.
Which street-legal McLaren cars are in production?
GT
The McLaren GT is the brand’s lightweight grand touring model, packing a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 612 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque.
Supercars: 720S, 720S Spider, 765LT, 765LT Spider, and Artura
720S and 720S Spider
The company’s supercar series includes the McLaren 720S, boasting a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 harnessing 710 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. It can roar from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. The 720S also comes in a convertible Spider model.
765LT and 765LT Spider
The McLaren 765LT is a more track-focused upgrade to the 720S. The 765LT’s 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 generates 755 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. It also comes in a convertible Spider model.
Artura
Last in the supercar series is the McLaren Artura hybrid. Its twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 produces 671 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque.
Ultimate series: Senna, Elva, and Speedtail
The McLaren Ultimate series includes three models: the Senna, Elva, and Speedtail.
Senna
The Senna — named for Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna — is McLaren’s most track-focused car. The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 generates 789 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. There’s also the track-only GTR model.
Elva
The Elva is the lightest car in the McLaren lineup, featuring a mid-engine and convertible configuration. It’ll go 203 mph thanks to a V8 making 802-hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.
Speedtail
The Speedtail is the fastest street-legal McLaren car, thanks to a 1,036-hp hybrid powertrain. It can zoom from 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 250 mph.
