McLaren 750S replacement will switch to hybrid V8 power
McLaren has renewed its partnership with engine-supplier Ricardo, which will build a new hybrid V8 to power the firm’s future models
We’ve already sampled the fruits of McLaren’s move towards hybrid power for its series production cars, with the stellar V6-engined Artura taking joint third place at eCoty 2022. Now, it’s been announced that a new electrified V8 motor is in the works for future models, one of which is all but certain to be a replacement for the 750S.
Of course, the 750S has only just broken cover this year as a Ferrari 296 GTB challenger, but given that it’s essentially a heavy update to the 720S rather than an all-new model, it’s no surprise that McLaren is looking ahead to the next generation. As such, the Woking firm has announced a long term partnership with British engineering outfit Ricardo to produce a new hybrid V8 engine.
The deal has been struck as part of McLaren’s ‘Future of Performance’ strategy, which will see it launch a series of hybrid V6 and V8 supercars in the coming years. Ricardo has played a significant role in McLaren Automotive’s 21st century revival, having built the M838T 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 for the 12C back in 2011. Since then, it has produced the 4-litre M840T engine used in the 720S and a host of other McLarens, along with the Artura’s M630 V6.
Specifics of the new hybrid V8 haven’t been announced, and it’s unclear whether it’ll be an all-new unit or a development of the 750S’s motor, which can trace its roots to that of the 12C. To mitigate the weight penalty of the electrical elements, it’s possible that the combustion engine could be downsized and supplemented by the hybrid system to exceed the current car’s 740bhp and 590lb ft outputs.
Whatever the case, the new powertrain will be designed in-house by McLaren and built at Ricardo’s Shoreham production facility. Speaking on the partnership, McLaren Automotive CEO Michael Leiters said:
‘Our new high-performance, hybrid V8 powertrain will form an integral part of McLaren’s next generation product line-up delivering best-in-class performance and thrilling driver engagement. This new agreement with Ricardo is, therefore, an important part of our ‘Future of Performance’ strategy and builds on the enduring relationship between the two British companies, providing a boost for jobs and ensuring increased investment in what is a vitally important domestic engineering supply chain for future technologies.’
