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McLaren CEO says Apple takeover talks happened but didn't go anywhere

Back in September, we reported that Apple was in talks to buy McLaren, as per a report in the Financial Times. A McLaren spokesperson flatly denied the rumor at the time, but it turns out that perhaps the truth of the matter is a little more complex than that denial encompassed. In an interview with Reuters, McLaren's acting CEO Mike Flewitt confirmed that there were talks with Apple, but that they never reached the stage where Apple made a bid. "There wasn't a bid from Apple," Flewitt told Reuters. "They visited. We talked. We talked about what they did. We talked about what we did. They toured. It never matured to a definitive proposition." Even if Apple had made a bid, it seems like the people who run McLaren might not have been in the mood to take it. As you might remember, long-time CEO Ron Dennis was ousted recently from his position after a 35-year run. A BBC report made it sound like the dismissal had to do with management style, but Sky News reports that it was Dennis's backing of a Chinese takeover bid that precipitated his departure. Apparently the stockholders weren't keen on selling, whether to a Chinese consortium or anybody else, and so Dennis got the boot. It's not as if Dennis will be completely uninvolved from this point forward. The man still has a 25 percent stake in the company, and will remain on the board of directors of both the McLaren Technology Group as well as McLaren automotive itself. In other news, Zak Brown, a former racing driver and sports marketing executive, has decided to take Dennis's vacated position, reports Sky News. Related Video: News Source: Reuters, Sky NewsImage Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images McLaren Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance mclaren automotive

McLaren Speedtail reveals its hybrid powertrain secrets, and of course it's impressive

Until now, McLaren has been keeping secrets about its three-seat Speedtail hypercar. We’ve known itÂ’s packing a hybrid powertrain that produces a combined 1,055 horsepower and 848 pound-feet of torque, but thatÂ’s about it. Today, McLaren is spilling the beans, and what impressive beans they are. The combustion engine is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, rated for 747 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque on its own. Its output is nearly identical to that of the 765LT (rated for 755 horsepower and 590 pound-feet). And yes, the two are both equipped with McLarenÂ’t M840T engines. However, the SpeedtailÂ’s hybrid powertrain is named M840TQ, since it features an electric motor to help it along. And help the Speedtail along it does. McLaren says the single electric motor generates 308 horsepower on its own, which is an astounding figure for its application. The tech on display here is derived from Formula E, and McLaren is claiming itÂ’s the “highest performing installation — including cooling and integration — of any electric motor currently in use in a production road car.”  McLaren is also bragging about its new battery unit. ItÂ’s a 1.647-kilowatt-hour (mighty precise there, McLaren) cylindrical-shaped unit thatÂ’s “arranged in a unique way.” What way? McLaren doesnÂ’t say. However, itÂ’s an extremely compact unit, and McLaren claims itÂ’s able to provide the best power-to-weight ratio of any high-voltage battery available today. It says the power density of the battery is four times that of the McLaren P1, the companyÂ’s only other hybrid vehicle.  As for the cooling system, itÂ’s also state-of-the-art. McLaren says the cells are “thermally controlled by a dielectrical cooling system and permanently immersed in a lightweight, electrically insulative oil which quickly transfers heat away from the cells.” This cooling technology is also being claimed as a first in a production road car. The benefit? ItÂ’s highly efficient, and will “allow the cells to run harder and for longer.” All of this is great news for future hybrid McLaren supercars, which are coming soon. Related video:

McLaren confirms Ultimate Series supercar with exhaust teaser shot

Late last year, McLaren announced a supercar project with a center seating arrangement, which it called the "Bespoke Project 23" — a suitably obscure codename for a British prototype. After all, this is the country whose atomic bomb project in WWII was codenamed "Tube Alloys," so there's a penchant for understatement and obscurity. But now McLaren has announced another car will join the Ultimate Series line, before BP23, and we hear its code name is P15. We even have an official photo, showing triple tailpipes surrounded by a similarly-shaped surround made of what looks to be aluminum, possibly titanium. It's obviously nestled in the rear of the P15, since side-pipes wouldn't look like this. Otherwise, there's not much to glean from it. It's nice to know, however, that the BP23 won't be alone at the top of McLaren's range. We'll be watching for updates on the P15 (and the BP23) and bring you whatever we find. Hopefully that'll include better names, the sooner the better. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. McLaren Coupe Future Vehicles Performance Supercars mclaren bp23