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McLaren Group embraces China

McLaren Group hopes to be able to expand its presence in China beyond automotive and Formula One.

McLaren P1

McLaren P1

McLaren Automotive Limited

Shanghai, China & Woking, Surrey, UK - 3 December 2013 - The McLaren Group is proud to join an official delegation to China from the UK, led by the Prime Minister David Cameron. This high profile visit is also an opportunity for McLaren Group to reiterate its commitment to China and emphasise the important role that China will play in its future direction.

The McLaren Group is a collection of high value, highly innovative, high technology companies. From a world class pedigree in Formula 1, McLaren has diversified to become one of Britain’s fastest growing technology companies, using our technology in interests ranging from the development of ultra high fidelity electronics, to engineering the world’s most technologically advanced road cars.

In September, McLaren demonstrated the importance it places upon China, when it established its first four dealerships in the country, in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

The McLaren P1 at the Shanghai gala
The McLaren P1 at the Shanghai gala

Photo by: McLaren Automotive Limited

The company has been very well received in the Chinese market, with sales equating to £45million of exports (pre-tax) from the UK in only three months of trading in China. Since September McLaren Automotive has exported 108 high performance 12C and 12C Spider road cars to the country. Perhaps even more impressive, the company has taken more than 30 orders for the ground breaking, hybrid powered McLaren P1™: the most technologically advanced car ever produced in the UK.

However, this is only the first phase of McLaren’s developing relationship with China. By the end of 2014 the company has plans to unveil a further eight dealerships; these will be located in Nanjing, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Kunming, Changsha, Fuzhou and Tianjin. In time McLaren anticipates that China will contribute 10% of its global automotive sales, resulting in exports from the UK of over £50million per year.

McLaren Group hopes to be able to expand its presence in China beyond automotive and Formula 1. It plans to make a more diverse contribution to the economy and society, achieving this by forging close links with similarly innovative Chinese organisations. This would build upon the established success of McLaren’s technology division, which has partnered with world leading companies to apply its specialized expertise and intelligence, allowing it to address problems far removed from motor racing, specifically in sectors such as mass transportation, healthcare and the environment.

Commenting upon the growing relationship between McLaren and China, Ron Dennis CBE, Chairman McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive said: “No country is more important to my global vision for McLaren than China. McLaren is British, but our future is global and whilst we will continue to draw upon world-class UK intellect and technology, we intend to contribute to international success, through ever-stronger bonds with major international partners such as in China.”

During the course of this year’s Chinese Grand Prix weekend McLaren celebrated its significant 50 year anniversary. Ron Dennis explains, “I hugely admire the fact that China embraced the appeal of Formula 1 and saw an opportunity to enter the sport. It has subsequently delivered a genuinely world-class facility in Shanghai. McLaren Group has been greatly impressed by this investment and commitment to Formula One.”

“We consider this country to be a core part of the next 50 years of McLaren’s future. McLaren is looking to work closely with Chinese organisations as we seek to develop and expand the entire Group and develop a whole range of businesses in China. We’re looking to establish lasting partnerships for the mutual benefit of both China and McLaren. We hope that a strong trading relationship will be a key element of our future and that the best of British technology can contribute to success and growth in China.”

McLaren Group will play its part to help boost bilateral trade, Ron Dennis said, “The skills that we have at McLaren are niche but very high value. These skills can, we believe, be applied very well in the Chinese market. The UK will never compete with China for size, but if we put together the skills and experience of the UK, with the size and enthusiasm of China, this can only be good for the future of both our countries.”

“Based upon our extremely encouraging automotive sales in China so far, I feel Chinese individuals and organisations alike, will recognise the potential for cutting edge British Technology to deliver a significant positive impact. What is more, any success in China will also be beneficial to Britain, as it will enable us to support even more outstanding companies in our supply chain and provide more high quality jobs.”

All McLaren Group companies are headquartered at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey. In total, the group employs over 2,000 people, providing high quality jobs and training, with the company being a major employer of graduate engineers.

All McLaren cars are engineered and assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre and Production Centre in Woking, Surrey. The 12C features 50% British made components and McLaren Automotive’s supply chain includes 54 high quality British small to medium sized companies.

McLaren Group

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