Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

McLaren CEO insists the F1 isn’t coming back, but the rumor refuses to die

Ronan Glon
By

McLaren F1
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Rumors of a modern-day McLaren F1 recently sent supercar enthusiasts into a frenzy. According to a report, the yet-unnamed model was scheduled to come out in 2018, but there’s only one problem: McLaren boss Mike Flewitt shot down the report, insisting that the rumors are unfounded and completely false.

“I regularly get asked for three seats and a V12, and a manual gearbox. I just don’t think there’s a real business case to do one of those,” Flewitt affirmed on the sidelines of a financial results meeting.

Recommended Videos

“We loved the F1, but we’re not going to make another one,” the CEO added to drive the message home.

Related

Originally published by British magazine Autocar, the report claimed the F1’s heir would take the form of a hyper-GT positioned near the very top of the McLaren lineup. Its interior was set to use the same 1-plus-2 seating configuration as the F1 (pictured), and insiders reportedly described the cabin as “a work of art.”

Flewitt’s comments might mean that a modern-day F1 isn’t happening, period. However, we can’t ignore how his statement was worded. The limited-edition coupe was said to use a 700-horsepower evolution of McLaren’s ubiquitous 3.8-liter V8, not a V12, which Flewitt alluded to. In fact, McLaren hasn’t offered a street car powered by a V12 since the original F1 went out of production 17 years ago. And while there was no mention of what kind of transmission the coupe would use, a manual would be unlikely at best for cost and demand reasons.

Autocar responded to Flewitt in an interview with Car & Driver. Jim Holder, the magazine’s editorial director and the author of the story, insisted the report is credible.

“I’m entirely confident in the story. It’s well-sourced and verified, and a scout around dealer comments and forums should leave anyone questioning its veracity in no doubt about its truth. There are customers and potential customers out there openly discussing the car as described,” he said.

We’ll have to wait a couple of years to find out whether McLaren is secretly planning another megacar, or if no truly means no.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon
Contributor
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Modern cars are a privacy nightmare, and there’s no way to opt out
Elon Musk smirks while pointing.

Cars are changing, and quickly. Electric cars are on the rise, and at the same time, manufacturers are pushing autonomous driving technologies -- even if we're still a while away from actual self-driving cars. But there are other aspects about cars that are changing too -- the fact that they're becoming increasingly connected, and increasingly computer-controlled. And, with all the data that cars can collect, privacy is becoming increasingly important.

Turns out, however, cars aren't that great at preserving your privacy. In fact, they're terrible at it.

Read more
The state of EV chargers in the U.S. right now: We have a long way to go
What a future Mercedes-Benz EV charging hub might look like.

Charging is changing in the U.S. -- and quickly. Tesla has all but won the war for the standard charging connector, meaning that charging will likely get a whole lot more convenient in the near future. But on top of that, charging networks are also expanding -- with the likes of Mercedes-Benz jumping in on the action.

Earlier this year, Mercedes announced that it would be building charging stations in partnership with MN8 Energy. More recently, it shared that it was finally planning on opening up the first of these stations in October.

Read more
The fastest electric cars, ranked by 0-60 mph acceleration
porsche taycan electric car acceleration test on aircraft carrier deck prototype

Electric vehicles benefit from instant torque, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're quick.

The more affordable electric cars, like the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Hyundai Kona Electric, are zippy around town, but nothing to brag about on a drag strip. However, higher-end models like the ones we're looking at here can keep up with some of the most powerful gasoline-burning sports cars in the world -- and in many cases beat them.

Read more