Future McLarens to look more like the 1990s F1, company says

McLaren has revealed details of a new design 'language' set to underpin the next generation of its supercars.

However, it has chosen to do so without publishing any actual images of its future cars – and instead distributing a handful of basic, low-resolution sketches which, to the untrained eye, don't look very different to McLaren's current models.

It is not clear when McLaren will show the first of its next-generation supercars, after its most recent model launch, the Artura, was about 12 months later than scheduled amid delays caused by electrical faults and quality issues.

The official blurb from McLaren claims the British car maker – now controlled by Bahrain's state-owned investment fund – will use "five core principles" for the design of its future models.

It claims inspiration for the front end of its next models will come from its race cars, with features such as the side air intakes reportedly based on Ayrton Senna's McLaren MP4/4 Formula One Car, and the McLaren F1 road car, with its LM and GTR variants.

There will be large air intakes placed on the front bumper beneath the ‘eye-socket’ headlights with integrated intakes, which will be modelled on those already used on the McLaren 750S.

McLaren claims the side view will be inspired directly by classic McLaren Can-Am racers, the McLaren F1, and the McLaren P1, with more of a taper to the window line than current cars – as well as short front and rear overhangs. 

It says the rear end will be inspired by the F1, with increased use of straight lines and horizontal elements claimed to "create a greater sense of width and lower vehicle height."

McLaren has not released any images of what these design cues could look like – beyond traced images of its older models, and a two-line sketch of a possible side profile view (top of story).

Inside, the supercar maker claims future models will feature a ‘wrap-around’ cockpit that it believes "won’t [make drivers] feel claustrophobic or compromised" thanks to a "horizon-like" forward view. 

McLaren has not yet confirmed when we will see the first examples of this new design language.

Last week, it was announced ownership of the supercar manufacturer is now under the complete control of Bahraini state-owned investment fund the Mumtalakat Holding Company – which is the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

“This will further enable us to focus on delivering our long-term business plan, including investment in new products and technologies, whilst continuing to explore potential technical partnerships with industry partners,” the Group’s executive chairman, Paul Walsh, said in a media statement.

Although the fund was already McLaren’s largest shareholder, the move has been hailed as a milestone for the company after years of financial uncertainty for the supercar specialist.