McLaren Unleashes £500m Investment to Boost UK Auto Sector

The UK automotive industry is set for a major boost after high-performance car manufacturer McLaren Automotive announced plans to invest around £500m in Britain, expand its UK footprint and create 1,000 new high-quality jobs by 2032.

The investment will see McLaren expand its world-leading research and development and production site in South Yorkshire, while also opening a new cutting-edge vehicle production facility in the UK. The move is being positioned as a major contribution to the government’s ambition to reindustrialise Britain and drive economic growth across the country. The investment builds on £4bn of government investment in the wider automotive sector by 2035 and is expected to unlock up to 3,000 additional jobs across the wider sector. McLaren has also committed to keeping the design, engineering and manufacturing of its current and future models in the UK, creating new export opportunities and supporting companies throughout its domestic supply chain.

McLaren investment strengthens UK manufacturing
The announcement comes as Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and First Secretary of State Louise Haigh visit McLaren’s Technology Centre in Woking on 16 September. During the visit, the ministers will meet McLaren senior leaders, apprentices and workers before touring the company’s facilities and production lines.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
“McLaren is doubling down on Britain, keeping the design, the engineering and the building of every future car here, and taking on a thousand more people to do it. Their investment will create high-quality apprenticeships, jobs and drive growth far beyond their factory gates. It is how you get skilled work, decent wages and pride back into a place. It’s this kind of partnership between government and business that will help us reindustrialise communities and make every part of Britain better off. I want young people to see that and know there is a future for them in making things, wherever they grew up.”

First Secretary of State Louise Haigh said:
“McLaren’s decision to significantly expand its footprint here in Britain is a vote of confidence in our advanced manufacturing sector and a testament to the world-leading skills and expertise we have in this country. Today’s investment will create hundreds of new high skilled jobs, including new apprenticeships for young people across the country. This government is committed to backing British business and driving good growth in every postcode.”

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
“McLaren’s investment is a massive vote of confidence in Britain and our world-class automotive sector. It means 1,000 new jobs up and down the country, with thousands more supported across the supply chain – that’s boosting growth and making us all better off. This is all part of our Modern Industrial Strategy which is backing the car industry with billions of pounds in investment to help reindustrialise Britain. We’re creating the right environment so businesses like McLaren choose the UK.”

Future McLaren models to be built in Britain
As part of its expansion, McLaren plans to manufacture future engines in-house for the first time and broaden its product portfolio with a performance SUV. The company’s commitment to keeping current and new models in the UK is expected to create further export opportunities in international markets while supporting businesses across its supply chain. The announcement follows a roundtable and reception hosted by Downing Street with business leaders to discuss how government and industry can work together to unlock investment, create jobs and spread economic opportunity across the country. McLaren’s investment also builds on government efforts to provide businesses with greater certainty and stable foundations for long-term investment through its Modern Industrial Strategy.

Nick Collins, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Group Holdings and McLaren Automotive, said:

“We are investing in the future of McLaren and in advanced manufacturing in the UK. This investment will give us the platform to grow, develop our next generation of cars and build on what makes us distinctive, while strengthening skills, jobs and Britain’s global competitiveness.”

The expansion represents a significant commitment to keeping McLaren’s future vehicle development and manufacturing operations in Britain, while increasing its contribution to the UK’s automotive and advanced manufacturing sectors.