Remember when we joked in the 212 Chat episode that McLaren might actually build an SUV someday?
Yeah… turns out that wasn’t a joke at all. It’s happening — for real — in 2028.
What started as a rumor floating around the industry has now become one of the biggest shifts in McLaren’s history. After years of saying “we only make supercars,” the British brand is finally stepping into the SUV ring, going straight after the Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT with a hybrid monster powered by a V8.
The McLaren P47 — A First for the Brand
According to Automotive News, McLaren quietly showed a prototype, codenamed P47, to its global dealers during a private event in Leicester.
And based on the reactions?
This thing isn’t subtle.
Dealers described it as big, sharp, muscular, and surprisingly aggressive — more dramatic than a Cayenne Turbo GT, and even a bit larger. And those massive 24-inch wheels basically scream, “Yeah, McLaren is here now.”
One dealer literally said it looked like “a competitor built to take on the giants.” So… message received.
Yes, It’s Going to Be a Hybrid V8
McLaren hasn’t published the full specs yet, but all signs point to a high-performance hybrid V8 — basically supercar DNA but wrapped in something you can take to the grocery store.
So expect that signature McLaren soundtrack, crazy acceleration, and enough electric assistance to make it efficient without killing the fun. The CEO even teased last year that the company was working on a car “with more than two seats,” which in hindsight feels like the softest of soft launches.
A Bigger Plan Leading to 2030
This isn’t McLaren trying something random. It’s part of a long-term plan that stretches through the end of the decade. Between now and 2028, the brand will keep dropping new models every single year.
Some of the highlights:
A new hybrid coupe with around 800 hp arriving in 2027
A special farewell edition of the 750S the same year — sunroof, huge wing, the whole dramatic send-off
A fully electric McLaren coming later, once the brand feels hybrid tech has hit its peak
Supercar Performance, SUV Practicality
What makes the P47 exciting isn’t that it’s an SUV — plenty of brands have made that leap. What’s interesting is that McLaren seems to be treating it like a supercar with space and ground clearance. The early description makes it sound like a real competitor to the Ferrari Purosangue and Aston Martin DBX707, which puts it in the hottest and most competitive part of the luxury SUV world.
