Both companies were responsible for the McLaren F1 of the 90s
This collaboration will spawn two new models that could be sold by both brands
BMW is in need of a halo sports car and McLaren still doesn’t have an SUV
Rumours about a partnership between BMW and McLaren have resurfaced and it seems both companies are still working on an electric supercar and possibly an SUV.
Back in April, talks between McLaren and other automakers made it look as if the British supercar brand would be sold to one of the three premium German brands, especially Audi.
These talks didn’t lead to anything, but a rumour that had made the rounds at the time now seems to have been true.
Indeed, McLaren and BMW are reported to be working together on a project that could see both companies selling their own version of a new electric supercar to be introduced between 2026 and 2028.
1995 McLaren F1 | Photo: McLaren
In that same timeframe, the automakers are expected to launch a high-performance SUV, which would be the first time McLaren sells this type of vehicle.
This collaboration makes sense since BMW doesn’t have a halo sports car to compete with the Audi R8 and Mercedes-AMG GT at the moment and McLaren is now pretty much the only company in its market segment to not offer an SUV since Ferrari and Lamborghini added their own.
This will not be the first time both automakers have worked together since the iconic McLaren F1 of the 90s was powered by a BMW V12 engine.
The upcoming supercar will apparently feature a carbon fiber chassis made by McLaren and an electric powertrain developed by BMW. This is sensible since BMW has less experience working with carbon fiber than McLaren, which has yet to make its first electric vehicle.
It is still too early to know most details about this vehicle and especially about the upcoming SUV, but more information is expected to become available in the coming years, ahead of these products’ launch.
