McLaren opens new innovation and production centre

TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain, have officially opened McLaren Automotive's new $89 million production facility in Yorkshire. The McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) aims to be a world-leader in innovating lightweight carbon fibre and composites that will work together with future powertrain development to save weight and produce greater energy efficiencies.

Prototyping has already begun on innovating McLaren's next generation of lightweight carbon fibre tubs that are integral to the agility and performance of its sportscars and supercars. Carbon fibre has long been a part of McLaren's DNA, the company having introduced the very first carbon fibre chassis into Formula One in 1981. Carbon fibre's innate strength and lightweight properties mean that the company has never made a race car, sportsc ar or supercar without it since.

After completing trial tubs in 2019 and once fully operational in 2020, the MCTC will create over 200 direct jobs and produce carbon fibre tubs that will be sent to the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, for hand assembly into cars. Over 90% of which are then exported to markets worldwide.