McLaren’s new chief executive, Nick Collins, is dialing back production and broadening the company’s ambitions as the British marque charts its next chapter under new ownership.
Speaking during Monterey Car Week, Collins said McLaren is using its fresh financial footing after an April acquisition by Abu Dhabi–based CYVN Holdings to make longer-term decisions. The immediate move: shrink output to protect values and realign supply with demand. McLaren will build about 3,000 cars in 2024 and plans about 2,000 in 2025, a substantial cut designed to stabilize residuals and rebuild scarcity. The goal is not permanent contraction, Collins emphasized, but a reset that allows the brand to “stabilize, then grow” from a healthier base.
Collins, a veteran of Ford and Jaguar Land Rover, said design will take on a larger strategic role inside McLaren, guiding product definition as much as styling. That shift comes alongside a willingness to expand beyond the company’s traditional two-seat brief. While he offered no specifics or timeline, Collins said future McLarens “with more than two seats” are on the table—an acknowledgment that the brand is exploring new formats to reach more customers without diluting its identity.
Electrification remains part of that conversation, but not at the expense of the company’s signature soundtrack. Collins said a full battery-electric McLaren is not ruled out, yet reaffirmed that the V-8 engine “is not going anywhere.” Any EV would need to meet McLaren’s performance, engagement and weight targets—benchmarks the company believes still suit a high-revving V-8 and hybridized solutions in the near term.
The financial reset after CYVN’s investment—Collins said McLaren paid off all debt upon closing—gives the company breathing room to prioritize residual values, quality and customer experience over volume. Cutting back production now, he argued, underpins confidence among owners and collectors while giving the brand time to refine its lineup and cadence. It also positions McLaren to return to growth with stronger order books and better pricing discipline.
Collins declined to detail forthcoming models or confirm body styles, and he offered no production targets beyond 2025. But his message to enthusiasts and dealers was clear: McLaren will move deliberately, invest in design, and keep combustion-engine character central even as it evaluates new technologies and segments.
“We can think longer term again,” he said, framing 2025 as a consolidation year that sets up sustainable expansion. For a company built on lightness and focus, the plan amounts to applying those same principles to the business—trim what’s unnecessary, strengthen what matters, and keep the driving experience at the center.
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