McLaren Automotive has announced a £500m investment programme to expand its UK manufacturing, engineering and operations, which the company said will support at least 1,000 new direct and indirect jobs by 2032.

The programme forms part of a larger commitment from shareholder L’IMAD, which McLaren described as a sovereign investor of the Government of Abu Dhabi. The supercar maker also confirmed plans to launch a performance SUV, and said a new vehicle assembly facility is planned in the UK to increase output.

Engines built in-house

For the first time in its history, McLaren Automotive’s future powertrains will be designed and built in-house in the UK, starting with two new engines and transmissions. The company said this will support its hybrid engine strategy, which builds on the hybrid technology it first used in the McLaren P1.

McLaren will also expand operations at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking and at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre, its carbon-fibre manufacturing and research facility in South Yorkshire.

The company has recently opened two further UK sites: a design and innovation centre, the McLaren Creation Centre in Bicester, and a testing and vehicle development facility in the Midlands. McLaren said the four locations together form an integrated UK operation running from design through to advanced manufacturing.

According to the company, the investment will strengthen its expertise in lightweighting, carbon fibre and advanced manufacturing, while securing critical intellectual property and production capabilities in the UK.

Jobs and supply chain

McLaren said the programme will safeguard existing roles as well as creating new ones, and that its UK manufacturing workforce is set to double, supported by new apprenticeships.

The company expects up to 3,000 additional jobs to be created across its supply chain, which it said would support the British automotive sector and exports.

The announcement follows reports, covered by Business Matters last week, that McLaren was planning a major Woking investment with around 1,000 jobs attached.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed UK vehicle production fell 7.5 per cent to 385,979 units in the first half of 2026. The SMMT has called for action on energy costs, market regulation and trading arrangements to secure future investment in the sector, which it says employs 188,000 people in manufacturing.

Business Matters reported in December 2024 that Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings was buying McLaren’s automotive business, after the carmaker recorded an annual loss of £924m in 2023.

Broader product range

McLaren said it is building a complete portfolio around the supercar, “intentionally and carefully segmented”, with the goal of maximising brand value, desirability and client loyalty. The performance SUV marks its entry into a new category, and the company said the investment will provide the manufacturing capacity, technology and skills needed to bring future models to market.

Jassem Al Zaabi, managing director and group chief executive of L’IMAD, said: “Over the past 20 months, L’IMAD has worked closely with McLaren Automotive’s management team, supporting the business in sharpening its strategic direction and positioning itself for long-term growth. This investment reflects our confidence in its potential and our commitment to backing the business through its next chapter, building on the heritage, engineering excellence, and distinctive brand that has defined McLaren for more than six decades.”

Nick Collins, chief executive of McLaren Group Holdings and McLaren Automotive, said: “This investment gives us the platform to grow, develop and build on what makes us distinctive, while investing in the people, technologies and products that will keep us competitive for decades to come.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “McLaren Automotive is doubling down on Britain, keeping the design, the engineering and the building of every future car here, and taking on a thousand more people to do it. Their investment will create high-quality apprenticeships, jobs and drive growth far beyond their factory gates.”

He added: “It’s this kind of partnership between government and business that will help us reindustrialise communities and make every part of Britain better off. I want young people to see that and know there is a future for them in making things, wherever they grew up.”

McLaren was founded by Bruce McLaren in 1963.

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