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McLaren's global headquarters could be yours for $256 million

McLaren is giving rich enthusiasts and affluent investors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of its most valuable tangible assets: its headquarters. Before you launch a GoFundMe campaign, keep in mind the next owner will be obligated to lease the property back to the carmaker for an undermined amount of time. Hit hard by the on-going coronavirus pandemic, McLaren commissioned Canadian real estate firm Colliers to sell its headquarters for GBP200 million, a sum that represents approximately $256 million at the current conversion rate. It's interesting to note the facility is worth about 13 times as much as a 1994 F1 LM-Specification. Located in Woking, which is about an hour from London, the property includes the McLaren Technology Center, the McLaren Production Center (where road cars are manufactured), and the McLaren Thought Leadership Center. There is also a small man-made lake, parking lots, several picturesque acres of grass, and thousands of trees. McLaren isn't moving. It will remain in Woking, but it will lease its headquarters from the person or company that purchases it. Details about the transaction, like how long the firm will lease the property for and how much it will spend per month, haven't been made public, unsurprisingly. However, it's reasonable to assume there will be a clause stipulating the next owner can't kick McLaren out to plant alfalfa or to open a Texas-style ranch. Executives are analyzing other ways to make money, reduce expenses, or both in the coming months. McLaren cut 1,200 jobs in May 2020, and it announced it sold only 307 cars between February and May, down from 953 the previous year. It secured a $185 million boost from the oil-rich National Bank of Bahrain, yet unverified rumors claim it's considering selling a relatively small stake in its Formula One team in order to free additional cash. Sale-and-leaseback deals aren't what we'd call common in the automotive industry, but McLaren's move isn't unprecedented. In 2012, PSA Peugeot-Citroen sold its historic headquarters on Avenue de la Grande Armee in the heart of Paris for about $327 million to raise cash; it still leases the building in 2020. And, in January 2004, troubled British carmaker MG Rover sold most of its Longbridge, England, site to a property developer with plans to rent it. It signed a 35-year contract, and optimistically added a renewal clause, but it shut down in April 2005. Earnings/Financials McLaren

2020 McLaren GT First Drive Review | Grand touring the McLaren way

ST. ANDRE LES ALPES, France — The roads snaking through these ragged mountain ranges are dubbed the Route Napoleon after the French rulerÂ’s treacherous journey from the Cote dÂ’Azur through the French Alps in 1815. The asphalt ribbon squiggles over, alongside, and literally through mountain ranges with a scrawl so rambunctious it would challenge a race-prepped Lotus Elise, let alone a high-horsepower grand tourer. This is why weÂ’re here – to put the 2020 McLaren GT and its mission statement to the test on the least direct path from A to B. The GT isnÂ’t technically the first McLaren with grand touring intentions: the 570 GT launched in 2016 as a softer, quieter way to span long distances. But the new model is the brandÂ’s first fully-formed expression of whip-through-the-corners-but-drive-all-day-in-comfort versatility. McLaren trod carefully when tweaking its winning supercar formula for long-distance friendliness, while maintaining the sharpness weÂ’d need to tackle the notorious Route Napoleon. After all, McLarenÂ’s new GT would damage the brandÂ’s street cred if it was too soft, and miss the mark if it allowed occupant fatigue to enter into the equation. McLaren says it modified about two-thirds of existing hardware to strike the ideal balance, and the exterior appears to be an accurate sculptural representation of those changes. The body panels look subtler in person, countering those who suggest similarities to the Corvette C8. The GT is a bit more flared and angular, and utilizes some flat expanses of sheetmetal to hide its larger footprint. The body actually measures 6 inches longer than the 570GT, with notable overhangs front and rear. Nevertheless, there's a very usable 10-degree approach angle, or 13 degrees with the optional vehicle lift feature, which are numbers on par with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The GTÂ’s dihedral doors slide up easily after pressing a small, spring-loaded section of the side panel. Inside is typical McLaren — not too preciously ornamented nor overtly austere like some Teutonic carmakers. The steering wheel and paddle shifters in my tester are finished in a nicely polished aluminum finish that echo the milled materials used in the various switchgear and controls. Buttons are kept to a minimum on the center console and there are none on the steering wheel, while McLarenÂ’s twin dials for controlling drivetrain and handling settings remain.

McLaren Sports Series plays in snow ahead of New York debut

For a relatively small automaker – in terms of output, at least – McLaren sure has had a lot of new product to showcase lately. And in typical style, it's not showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon. After presenting both the 675LT and the P1 GTR in Geneva, Woking is gearing up to unveil the new Sports Series at the New York Auto Show next month. But before it does, the British racing team turned supercar constructor has released this teaser video for its upcoming "entry level" range. Captured playing in the snow, this McLaren Sports Series prototype is still wearing heavy camouflage, but already shows early promise. Joining the Super Series (which includes the 650S and 675LT) and Ultimate Series (P1 and P1 GTR), the new Sports Series will be based on similar architecture – with a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 nestled in the middle of a carbon-fiber chassis – but with less power and a (relatively) more accessible price tag to go after the likes of the Porsche 911 GT3 and new Audi R8. We're looking forward to seeing the finished product in the flesh next week at the Javitz Center in Manhattan. News Source: McLaren via YouTube New York Auto Show McLaren Coupe Supercars 2015 ny auto show mclaren sports series