What is probably certain in this modern era is that McLaren makes some of the very best Supercar. In fact, the British company and Formula 1 team could currently build the best supercars in the world. What started in 1992 with the incredible McLaren F1 has slowly evolved into McLaren, making more and more supercars and even hypercars. There’s the P1, the 765LT, the new Artura and many, many more, such as the impressive Senna. McLaren knows exactly what they’re doing.
However, there might actually be a minor problem with McLaren’s cars right now. If you line up a lot of them side by side, you may not really be able to tell the difference between the two. McLaren seems to have a little identity problem with its cars at the moment and how they all look so similar, which is a shame because with the Artura, many of the basics of this car are completely different from what McLaren did before. Because of this, McLaren needs to get more creative with its supercars, but let’s also take a look at some of their best products.
The best of the best at McLaren
via Auto Express
However, we have to stress that McLaren is absolutely building some amazing supercars right now. And has been for a few years, starting with the MP4-12C from 2011. One of the best cars McLaren has ever built is the P1, the hypercar that was part of the Holy Trinity and made its debut in 2013. Its twin-turbocharged V8 was paired with a McLaren electric motor for a combined 903 hp, bringing it exceptionally close to Bugatti Veyron territory in terms of power levels. Then there is the Senna.
The Senna is technically a sports car, but it certainly deserves a mention. With its mid-engine layout, this car was all about performance and was part of the McLaren Ultimate Series, which included the F1 and P1. However, what set the Senna apart from everything else McLaren had built was its looks. It’s not the prettiest car the company has ever built. But that made coming from McLaren so different from anything. Its multitude of aerodynamic elements give the Senna a different styling, with its double-element rear wing, double diffuser and large front fenders being just a few external features that set the car apart from the others.
What’s the problem with McLaren?
about Evo
When we say McLaren needs to get more creative, we mean pretty much exclusively in the look department. Because it’s pretty hard to fault McLaren for anything other than looks right now. Chris Harris and Jack Rix pointed out in a recent Top Gear video that it is quite difficult for the more average segment of the public to identify a McLaren supercar. If you take all of the recent cars, put them in plain, simple packaging, and even ask some hardened gears to identify each one just by looking at them there and then, you might be in trouble.
That’s probably not good for McLaren. The 650S, for example, looks too similar to the MP4-12C. The all-new Artura, a car with a lot of new technology and mechanical components underneath, still follows the same basic design language. And this is a car that McLaren hailed as completely new. Even the P1 may be more difficult to identify from some angles. The salvation for the P1, however, is its crazy tail and rear wing, as well as the vents and ducts on the side. All of these McLarens look amazing. But they don’t differ enough from each other.
What McLaren has to do
about Ferrari
In the same video, Chris Harris was referring to the Ferrari 296 GTB alongside the Artura. The small flickering of the retro 250 LM in the Ferrari really sets it apart from many supercars right now, and also in Ferrari’s own lineup. Top Gear Online’s Jack Rix, who presented the video with Harris, said it just doesn’t look any different from anything else they did. When you look at what Ferrari is doing with the 296 GTB and the Daytona SP3, it’s not hard to see why you might turn down the McLaren. So what does McLaren have to do? Maybe it needs to look at the 296 GTB and go for something else. A little retro maybe. Just change things up a little!
McLaren is still great at building supercars
by bus
This shouldn’t distract you or anyone else from the fact that McLaren makes amazing supercars. They make some of the best on the planet. They drive well, they sound great, and the technology in them is brilliant. But you have to get people to come back, and if every car looks like this, will that still be the case? Possibly! The Artura is clearly a different beast from what McLaren did before. But the look of the car is the first thing you notice. Maybe it’s time McLaren got a little more radical.
Sources: Supercars, Auto Express, Evo, Ferrari, Autocar
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About the author
Henry Kelsall
(1891 article published)
Everything from JDM cars to classic jets is covered. Contributor to HotCars since Fall 2018. Writes features, news and list articles.
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