McLaren Just Joined the SUV Chat with a New Entry Rivalling Ferrari and Aston Martin
By Hugo Mattson November 13, 2025
McLaren is developing its first four door hybrid V8 SUV, with a launch expected before 2028.
The model is positioned to compete with performance SUVs such as the Ferrari Purosangue, Aston Martin DBX and Lamborghini Urus.
McLaren has explored SUV concepts for more than a decade, including a 2010 collaboration with IED Design in Turin.
McLaren’s SUV Secret Isn’t Much of a Secret Anymore
McLaren has been quietly moving toward a segment it once dismissed outright. The company is developing its first SUV, code named P47, a four door performance model privately previewed to dealers who confirm the project is well underway. For a brand built on mid engine purism, this represents a notable turn in direction.
Market pressure plays a part. The luxury performance SUV segment remains the dominant force in the industry, often outselling the coupes and supercars that define brands like McLaren. The company resisted longer than most, but it has now arrived at the same conclusion as its rivals.
The renders representing the P47 are renders made by in-house artists. This is not the official sketch/image of the final product.
Hybrid V8 Power and A Surprising Amount of Size
Early information points to a hybrid V8 setup, preserving McLaren’s performance character while complying with stricter emissions rules. The decision to go hybrid instead of fully electric suggests the company wants to maintain familiar driving traits for its first SUV.
Those who attended the private preview describe the SUV as larger than expected. It carries a wider body, a higher stance and the proportions needed to take on the Ferrari Purosangue and Aston Martin DBX. The packaging also appears to support a five seat layout, which is a major expansion of McLaren’s customer reach.
The renders representing the P47 are renders made by in-house artists. This is not the official sketch/image of the final product.
A Bigger Body Without Losing the McLaren Cues
Although the footprint is new territory, the styling direction remains consistent with the brand’s identity. Sculpted surfaces, an emphasis on aerodynamics and the use of lightweight materials appear to be central to the design. Large wheels and a long wheelbase position it securely within the performance category rather than the utility end of the SUV spectrum.
This will also be the first McLaren with four doors and genuine daily usability. It broadens the brand’s appeal without abandoning its focus on engineering and speed, provided the final execution aligns with expectations.
A Calculated Entry Into a Predictable Segment
McLaren is targeting a launch window before 2028, giving it time to refine the model and align it with the company’s broader strategy. Entering the segment late can work only if the product delivers something convincingly focused and technically distinct from what is already on the market.
The competitive landscape is clearly established. This SUV is targeted squarely at the Ferrari Purosangue, Aston Martin DBX and Lamborghini Urus – the three offerings from the upper tier of performance SUVs – and McLaren’s goal is to match or surpass these competitors in terms of dynamics, powertain performance and engineering sophistication. The model is expected to be positioned and priced above conventional luxury SUVs, which reflects McLaren’s intention to continue to create performance led vehicles as the brand expands beyond its existing formats.
McLaren Has Been Circling This Idea for Over a Decade
While the upcoming SUV might look like a recent strategic turn, McLaren has been exploring the concept for much longer. In 2010, the company collaborated with IED Design in Turin on a student thesis project that imagined a McLaren branded off road model. It was not a production study, but it demonstrated that the brand had already begun considering how its design language and engineering principles might extend to a taller, more versatile platform. With the market now aligned toward performance SUVs and McLaren officially developing one, that early design school experiment reads less like an academic exercise and more like an early signal of where the brand was heading.
Source : Mclaren
