Five core principles lead McLaren’s future design direction

And the five pillars are? ‘Epic’, ‘Athletic’, ‘Functional’, ‘Focused’, and don’t forget ‘Intelligent’. 

‘Epic’ because every McLaren should have a design that “triggers an instinctive, emotional reaction”. The company cites elements like the F1’s centre seat and the titanium exhaust of the 765LT, and we’re not going to disagree.

‘Athletic’ because every McLaren should have an athletic definition. Check. Or, as McLaren puts it: “Tight, muscular bodywork aids overall performance through maximised aerodynamic efficiency and weight saving”.

‘Functional’ means every design element should serve a purpose, and ‘Focused’ hat tips for the surprisingly good visibility and seating position you get in every McLaren.

Finally, ‘Intelligent’ speaks to McLaren’s intelligent approach to using lightweight materials, coming from the company that mass-produced the carbon fibre tub with its MP4 12C supercar and everything that’s come since.

Factoring all this together means at the front new McLarens will feature two symmetrical design elements inspired by cars like the F1, the McLaren MP4/4 race car, and the stripped-out 750S road car.

In profile, McLaren’s Performance Line will be another prominent feature taken from models like the company’s Can-Am racers, the F1 and the P1. At the rear, the open back end – a feature of all McLarens since the F1 – will be another carry-through.

We’ll have to wait to see what the new design language looks like on a new model, but a cursory flick through the past greats leads us to believe the company is in very safe hands.