McLaren Hybrid Flagship Coming in 2026, Four-Seater Expected in 2028

McLaren is readying a hybrid successor to the P1 supercar for 2026, according to a report from Automotive News.The hybrid system in the next flagship McLaren is said to be 70 percent lighter than the current setup found in the recently launched Artura.The report also claims that a four-seat McLaren will arrive in 2028, with a hybrid follow-up to the just-revealed 750S also coming in 2026.

McLaren is prepping a successor to the groundbreaking P1 hybrid supercar from 2013 (pictured above), and a new report from Automotive News asserts the automaker’s next flagship will retain a hybrid powertrain instead of going fully electric.

Succeeding the P1

The information regarding the next Ultimate Series model came from a global retailer meeting that took place earlier this week at the automaker’s headquarters in Woking, England and reaffirmed McLaren’s hesitancy to jump headlong into EVs.

The new model—described as a Formula-1-inspired two-seater—will pair a McLaren-developed V-8 engine with a new hybrid system. The dealer sources cited by Automotive News claim the system will be 70 percent lighter than the current hybrid setup, presumably referring to the battery and electric motor in the 671-hp Artura. The sources also revealed the new setup “produces much more horsepower and delivers the power more directly to the transmission.”

The hybrid McLaren Artura.

McLaren

The P1 successor will allegedly be based around a new carbon-fiber monocoque with built-in seatbacks like a Formula 1 car and will also feature aerodynamics inspired by the world’s premier open-wheel racing series. Other details revealed at the meeting include the car will have a new dihedral-door design and 3-D-printed suspension components. The top-of-the-line McLaren is expected to debut in 2026.

Possible Four-Door McLaren

The report also divulged other future plans for the British performance-car brand, including a potential four-passenger vehicle. McLaren executives are said to have hinted there will be “another class of automobile in 2028,” suggesting it could feature four doors and four seats.

This tidbit follows quotes from last year that McLaren is considering a higher-riding vehicle, although the company wouldn’t commit to calling it a crossover. McLaren’s CEO Michael Leiters joined the company last year after working on the development of the Ferrari Purosangue and Porsche Cayenne SUVs.

McLaren plans to keep the recently introduced Artura on sale until at least 2030, according to the report, although other variants will likely be added along the way. The automaker just launched the new 750S, a refresh of the 720S, that had been on sale since 2017.

McLaren allegedly announced at the meeting that the 750S will be replaced by a new hybrid model in 2026, crucial to the company’s plans to electrify their entire lineup by that year. More details on McLaren’s hybridized future should come in the next few years.

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Associate News Editor

Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.