Media information

13.00 BST, 13 August 2015

McLAREN SPORTS SERIES ENTERS PRE-PRODUCTION

PHASE AHEAD OF GLOBAL LAUNCH

Most attainable McLaren model range commences final stage ahead of full

production

Pre-production phase will ensure the highest levels of quality for the first models

to join the Sports Series family: the 570S Coupé and 540C Coupé

Short video showing the Sports Series testing in extreme conditions can be

viewed and embedded at: https://youtu.be/erpQ8sWKFL4

The countdown to the launch this autumn of the most attainable McLaren road car

project yet, the Sports Series, continues with the start of the pre-production phase

within the state-of-the-art McLaren Production Centre in Woking, England. This

milestone marks the final stage in the development programme ahead of the global roll-

out of the 570S Coupé; the first model to be launched in the McLaren Sports Series

family. A short video documenting some of the stages of testing to date of the newest

model in the McLaren range can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/erpQ8sWKFL4.

Up to this point through the development programme, the Sports Series has covered in

excess of 500,000 testing kilometres. These have been on a mixture of race circuits and

roads, in some of the harshest conditions around the world including the extreme heat

of the Arizona and Nevada summer, the Arctic conditions common of northern Sweden

in the winter and, of course, the changeable British weather.

The McLaren Production Centre (MPC) has now been set up in preparation for the start

of production, with all tooling in place for the new model. The latest phase of the Sports

Series programme will ensure the smooth transition of production methods already in

place for the Super Series and Ultimate Series models with minimal disruption. It will

see the integration of the Sports Series into the production line along with the Super

Series, underlining the flexibility of the MPC. This will also ensure the highest levels of

quality, matching the exacting standards befitting any model wearing the McLaren

badge.

Andreas Bareis, Executive Director – Quality at McLaren Automotive explained: ‘The

pre-production phase is one of the most important, and also one of the most

demanding, in a product readiness phase at McLaren. Up to this point, vehicles have

been running in various locations around the world and subjected to some of the

harshest conditions, and we are testing every component and system to the extreme.

This final phase brings all testing together for the first time in a package that is

representative of the cars our owners will be taking delivery of.

‘As we move forward as a business we take learnings from previous projects and

current products, and now moving into the sports car sector, the programme has

become the most challenging to date as we push the bar of quality and performance

even higher. The relentless drive for continuously improving quality within all business

areas, with a focus on the pre-production phase, enables us to achieve a significant

milestone which was set as a key target at the beginning of the programme. It is a real

achievement by the different teams across the business that have helped progress to

this point.’

Deliveries of the Sports Series, starting with the 570S Coupé, will commence before the

end of the year. When the full family has been launched, forecast to be by the end of

2017, the range is expected to more than double the annual volume of McLaren, and

bring the brand in front of a new audience. Prices for the McLaren Sports Series start

from £126,000.

Join the conversation on social media – #McLarenSportsSeries.

Twitter: @McLarenAuto

Facebook: /McLarenAutomotive

Instagram: /McLarenAuto

Google+: +McLarenAutomotive

Ends Notes to Editors:

A selection of high resolution images accompanying this release is available to download from the McLaren Automotive

media site – cars.mclaren.press.

About McLaren Automotive:

McLaren Automotive is a British manufacturer of luxury, high-performance sports cars, located at the McLaren

Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, Surrey.

Following the global launch of McLaren Automotive in 2010, the groundbreaking 12C was launched in 2011, the 12C

Spider in 2012, and the limited-run McLaren P1™ went into production in 2013. In keeping with its plan to introduce a

new model each year, the company unveiled the 650S, in coupe and Spider form in 2014, and has announced the

Sports Series among the models to be introduced in 2015. The brand continues to expand, and McLaren posted a profit

during 2013 – only the third year of vehicle production. This was followed in 2014, by a third consecutive year of growth

in sales with a record 1,649 vehicles delivered via a dedicated global network of retailers in every major automotive

market.

McLaren Automotive Partners

To support the development, engineering and manufacture of its range of innovative and highly acclaimed sports cars,

McLaren Automotive has partnered with world leading companies to provide specialist expertise and technology

including, AkzoNobel, ExxonMobil, Pirelli and SAP.

Designed for the track; Developed for the road

The connection between Formula 1 and road cars at McLaren is a natural process of experience, knowledge, principles

and process transfer. Through the integration of 50 years of Formula 1™ racing expertise and knowledge, and over 20

years of heritage in producing landmark sports cars, McLaren Automotive designs, develops and builds a range of

technologically advanced and groundbreaking high performance sports cars which are designed to be a no compromise

drive on both road and track.

McLaren has pioneered the use of carbon fibre in vehicle production over the past 30 years, and since introducing a

carbon chassis into racing and road cars with the 1981 McLaren MP4/1 and 1993 McLaren F1 respectively, McLaren has

not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis.

Visit cars.mclaren.com for more details.

Further information

Wayne Bruce

Global Communications Director | McLaren Automotive Limited

Phone: +44 (0) 1483 261500

Mobile: +44 (0) 7768 132429

Email: wayne.bruce@mclaren.com

Dave Eden

Global PR Manager | McLaren Automotive Limited

Phone: +44 (0) 1483 262867

Mobile: +44 (0) 7500 857089

Email: dave.eden@mclaren.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/DaveEden

Media website: cars.mclaren.press

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mclarenautomotive

Twitter: www.twitter.com/McLarenAuto

You Tube: www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv