McLaren Automotive are at it again. They’re expanding their already rather large portfolio of supercar offerings with a new ‘High-Performance Hybrid’ (HPH). But for those of you who are worried that too many McLarens are being offered, the company has confirmed that their entire Sports Series line will be discontinued, with this filling the void or at least paving the way for the next generation of 500 and 600 series cars.
That being said, McLaren also state that the HPH project will eventually slot itself between the GT and 720, which are both a tier above the current Sports Series cars. This probably means the McLaren GT will be the new ‘entry’ model into the brand, with the HPH being a more advanced, more powerful vehicle. If the HPH fits between these two cars in terms of performance, then we can expect its power output to sit between 620PS and 720PS, with a 0-100km/h time between 3.1 seconds and 2.9 seconds and a top speed between 326.7 km/h and 341km/h.
Positioning the HPH above the GT would also make sense as it will debut a new set of technologies for the brand, including the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). The powertrain moves away from the familiar V8 used by McLaren Automotive to an electrified V6.
Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
The first series-production High-Performance Hybrid (HPH) supercar from McLaren Automotive has entered the final stages of its development and test programmes, which includes running on public roads. Due to launch in the first half of 2021, the all-new supercar will open a new era of electrification for McLaren following the end of production of its Sports Series range.
The all-new, supercar will be the first McLaren built on a new carbon fibre structure, christened McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). Optimised for High-Performance Hybrid powertrains and latest-generation driver technologies, the architecture elevates McLaren’s pioneering lightweight chassis technologies to new heights, exploiting the company’s advantage in super-lightweight engineering – a benefit that has its roots in the brand’s motorsport origins.
Designed, developed and produced in the UK at the £50m state-of-the-art McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in Sheffield region, the all-new flexible structure will underpin the next generation of McLaren hybrid supercars coming to market over the coming years.
The High-Performance Hybrid powertrain, which features an all-new V6 internal combustion engine, delivers astonishing levels of performance and a uniquely intense driver experience, as well as providing medium-range EV-only drive capability.
McLaren’s all-new, ‘next-generation’ supercar draws on all of the technological expertise in designing, developing and building the world’s most innovative and desirable, super-lightweight hypercars and supercars.
The all-new hybrid supercar will sit between the GT and the 720S in the McLaren range and its introduction will further strengthen the company’s presence in the supercar sector. The Sports Series designation – introduced in 2015 with the launch of the 570S – ceases from the end of this year with the limited-run, GT4-inspired 620R the last model produced.
