McLaren’s Supercar Survival Strategy: Merge With EV Startup Forseven
McLaren Automotive just threw itself a lifeline. The British supercar maker is merging with EV startup Forseven to form McLaren Group Holdings, backed by Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings.
Desperation move? Absolutely. Strategic necessity? Also yes.
McLaren’s New Bedfellows Bring Serious Tech
McLaren’s new corporate structure connects it to a web of automotive innovation that could finally give it the technological arsenal to compete with Ferrari’s expanding lineup.
The merger brings three critical assets under one roof:
- Forseven’s EV expertise – The stealth-mode British startup dissolves its brand but brings its electric vehicle technology directly into McLaren
- NIO’s battery technology – Chinese EV maker NIO, also backed by CYVN, provides advanced battery systems
- Gordon Murray Technologies’ lightweight construction – GMT’s iStream carbon fiber manufacturing process adds crucial weight-saving potential
Nick Collins, former JLR executive and Forseven CEO, takes the helm of the new McLaren Group Holdings. His first mission: deliver a turnaround strategy within six months.
SUVs and EVs: McLaren’s New Reality
McLaren’s traditional mid-engine supercars aren’t going extinct. They’re getting company.
The merger positions McLaren to expand beyond its two-seat, mid-engine comfort zone into new categories. Translation: SUVs and EVs are coming.
Ferrari did it. Lamborghini did it. Aston Martin did it. McLaren held out. Until now.
Collins has already confirmed McLaren won’t immediately switch to all-electric propulsion. Multi-mode powertrains will bridge the gap, likely meaning hybrids alongside pure EVs.
Abu Dhabi’s Automotive Chess Game
CYVN Holdings isn’t playing small. The Abu Dhabi-based investment firm now controls McLaren, Forseven, and Gordon Murray Technologies.
Jassem Al Zaabi, chairman of both Forseven and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Finance, will chair the new McLaren Group Holdings.
The financial backing addresses McLaren’s well-documented cash struggles while building a technology ecosystem that could finally give the brand sustainable footing.
Expect major product announcements later in 2025. The question isn’t whether McLaren will change – it’s how much of its DNA survives the transformation.
