Performance SUVs from uber-luxury performance car brands seem to be quite the market currently. The Urus has set Lamborghini sales ablaze; the DBX is one of Aston Martin's bestsellers, and even Ferrari joined the party in 2023 with the V12 Purosangue albeit with limited numbers. Now, the latest exotic car maker to enter the fray is McLaren Automotive.

The company has announced that it will be investing Rs 6,422 crore (GBP 500 million) into its UK operations. This investment will be used to expand and further develop McLaren's manufacturing and engineering capability within the UK including the all-new assembly facility in the UK. In the same announcement, the company has also announced that it will develop and manufacture its future powertrains in-house and on UK soil for the first time.

For a while now, we have been hearing about the possibility of a McLaren SUV, with late-2022 reports suggesting that a prototype of an SUV was shown to dealer partners during a global dealer meet at McLaren Creation Centre. The report states that the SUV will have a similar profile as an SUV coupe with unique styling to differentiate itself from other exotic SUVs. The report also stated that the SUV could make its debut as soon as 2028. 

Details of powertrain on the upcoming SUV are scarce at the moment, though the same report states that it could have an all-wheel drive layout and a hybrid V8 engine. 

McLaren's new investment announcement suggests that the SUV could arrive along with the development of a new engine. A part of the mentioned investments include the development of two new engines and transmissions, and one of the two could feature in the upcoming SUV. The same announcement also states that all-new hybrid powerplants will be the way forward for the brand.

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Tanu