The electric SUV from McLaren will not look like any of its rivals

The electric SUV from McLaren will not look like any of its rivals. When Porsche announced it would enter the SUV segment, a segment that was far from popular at the time, drivers were left in shock. Purists argued that a sports car manufacturer had no business building off-roaders. Today, the Porsche Cayenne and the Lamborghini Urus are the strongest models in the segment.

Lamborghini and Aston Martin have followed suit, and even Ferrari will take the plunge later this year with the Purosangue. But what about McLaren? The carmaker has stated on more than one occasion that it would never build an SUV, but all of that could now change now that Michael Leiters is steering the ship from its Woking headquarters. Leiters was part of Porsche and Ferrari when their SUV plans became a reality.

McLaren could launch its own electric SUV

The newly appointed CEO has told several specialist sources that he is a big enthusiast of high-end SUVs. “I developed an SUV at Ferrari [and] I developed an SUV at Porsche, so I love SUVs. But we will not do it for me. However, I think it is a really important market… and it is still growing. It is very attractive as a market segment.”

McLaren has had to deal with countless financial problems in recent years, and building a high-performance SUV is a one-way ticket to big profits; one need only look at Lamborghini and the Urus. A potential McLaren SUV would compete with the rivals mentioned above (in terms of price and performance) but would stand out in its execution. “What we have to understand as McLaren is ‘how can we find a product that is in line with our DNA?'” “We shouldn’t make a classic SUV.”

It is still early, Leiters insisted, but if the goal is to preserve the brand’s DNA, then it is more likely to be a raised GT like the Purosangue than a genuine SUV. This model could reach more customers than ever, as it would add diversity to the brand’s range.

So the first McLaren SUV could arrive with an electric powertrain. Leiters himself has pointed out that electric power is a very attractive option. In addition, the architecture would pave the way for new McLaren models of all shapes and sizes.