When seeking inspiration, Tobias Sühlmann, chief designer at McLaren Automotive, doesn’t need to look far. He states, "Every day when I go for lunch, I walk along this street and enjoy the history of the brand, which is something we need to think about for the future." He refers to the McLaren Technology Center in McLaren City.
There is a stunning display of cars, including Bruce McLaren's M8D Can-Am race car and the championship-winning MP4/2B Formula 1 car. The current MCL38 from Lando Norris is also present, alongside road cars ranging from the legendary F1 to the MP4-12C, Speedtail, and Elva.
These vehicles serve as a reminder of McLaren's rich heritage, which Sühlmann uses to sketch out a new direction for the future. He says, “I ask my team to come here, find some details, and then develop a new image for them.” He adds, “When you see the street, you feel inspired and realize that you can do a lot with this brand.”
He mentions, “I have worked in many companies, from major manufacturers to smaller ones.” He reflects on his career journey, which also includes stints at Volkswagen, Bugatti, and Aston Martin: “McLaren is my dream company.” Sühlmann’s return to the supercar maker comes at a pivotal time, as the McLaren group has been fully owned by the Bahrain sovereign investment fund after recent financial troubles.
Under the leadership of former Ferrari man Michael Leiters, the automotive division looks to expand its vehicle range in the future, likely including SUVs and electric cars. Much of Sühlmann's work since his return has been to develop a new design language, which will be reflected in three new aspects of the exterior design.
He continues, “We come from a racing background, and everything is part of that. We need to look at the entire brand and its DNA to understand and shape the future. We have a strong fan base and a solid customer base, and people buy and love our products because of our racing heritage. We didn't establish a car company and then create a racing team; we did the opposite, and that's fantastic for me.”
Although McLaren's racing history dates back to 1963, the automotive division is only 14 years old. However, it has developed a strong identity. Sühlmann notes, “Everyone can look at a McLaren car and know it’s a McLaren.” But this is partly due to the shared base of many company models, which means they can look somewhat similar. This will change in the future with the new language, as promised by Sühlmann.
He states, “The idea is to create different characters and identities for different products and to more strongly separate models from each other. People will not only recognize a McLaren car; they will recognize each individual model. So far, McLaren has only hinted at the new design language in a few illustrations, but Sühlmann and his team are on the path to creating a new generation of cars.
