McLaren and BMW make a good team. If you want proof, you can read up on McLaren F1 chassis #17R, which we just saw at Pebble Beach. And wouldn’t you know it, various outlets reported earlier in the week that McLaren was looking for a partner. Apparently, someone at McLaren – probably an accountant – realized there were people on this planet interested in buying something other than a dedicated supercar. Now, it sounds like they want a piece of it. Why? To make more money, of course.
The reports came amid McLaren CEO Michael Leiters’ words regarding the company’s finances. In March 2024, a Bahraini sovereign wealth fund called Mumtalakat took 100 percent control. Typically, these kinds of funds don’t seek ownership of an automaker. While they may want to own part of McLaren, it’s not really the kind of thing they want total control of. “A sovereign wealth fund doesn’t aim to own 100 percent of an automotive company,” Leiters said to journalists. He – and the money backing him – thinks it would be so very nice to have “a financial or technology partner to unlock the full potential.”
Reading between the lines and cutting to the chase, McLaren wants – maybe needs – a partner. They’re seeking someone with resources, but more importantly, someone with platforms and technologies. The goal is to expand the lineup, after all. But Leiters goes a step further – he wants to take control of whatever this shared vehicle looks like. “Whatever we do, it will remain a true McLaren product.” That complicates things. Or does it?
Matchmaker, matchmaker…
Look, call me crazy, but isn’t BMW the obvious choice here? Leiters already worked at Porsche and Ferrari – so if a partnership was happening there, it would’ve already. They’re also fairly protective of their brand and not always the most willing collaborators. BMW, on the other hand, has a nice track record there. In addition to the obvious McLaren F1 collab long ago, BMW worked with Toyota to bring us the Supra and Z4. They’ve also put their engines in, well, everything from modern-day Land Rovers to the Morgan Plus Four. So, clearly not afraid of sharing the spotlight.
Want resources? These days, BMW is flush with cash – they’re up 2.3 percent in sales globally in Q2 2024, even after a 6.5 percent bump in sales in 2023. Not to mention the brand’s long-lived expertise with lightweight materials, like carbon fiber and plastics. Whether it’s an SUV (we hope not), 2+2 coupe/convertible, or something else to give McLaren more market share, BMW has the skills there, too. Their SUVs are dynamic and there’s a ton of electrification know-how, in case the Artura is a sign of where McLaren plans to take things.
Pros and Cons
What does BMW have to gain? While McLaren sees clear benefits from a platform and software viewpoint, it probably wouldn’t be such an easy sell to BMW’s board. There’s perhaps some brand prestige that goes along with it, as well as the F1 link. Co-developing something cool with McLaren might also help people forget about the brand’s current ‘flagship’ M vehicle, the heavyweight XM. Granted, those things in themselves don’t pay the bills.
Who knows – maybe we’ve already seen a glimpse of the partnership. We still aren’t completely sure what this mysterious Neue Klasse coupe prototype is, after all. And if you squint a bit, it could almost be a Ferrari Purosangue competitor…which would definitely slot right where McLaren wants to be. If we hear anything, you’ll be the first to know.
Source: Automotive News Europe
