McLaren to partner with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works on future design

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Amidst selling off its classics to fund a new supercar, McLaren recently looked to the skies for inspiration for future vehicle design, and was greeted with a tip of the wing from aerospace company Lockheed Martin. The British luxury automaker has announced that it will partner with Skunk Works, Lockheed’s Advanced Development Program, “to explore futuristic design methods.” For what project exactly is unclear, but the basic logic here is that if it’s good enough for a fighter flying faster than the speed of sound tens of thousands of feet in the air, it might also be useful for a luxury crossover cruising down a highway.

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McLaren says that the “pioneering software sets the parameters for high-speed systems more accurately and swiftly than traditional design methods,” and that it plans to see how the technology might be “employed commercially in the automotive design world.”  

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Since its first commission in 1940, Lockheed’s special division has been responsible for the design of famous American planes like the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning, and U-2 spy plane. 

McLaren is, for now, a supercar company exclusively, but reports by Automotive News indicate the brand might be looking to expand its product offering to include something slightly more spacious. 

“The most important thing is to provide a [vehicle] that has more space or ability for a McLaren customer to share the experience with more people. How high-riding it is, whether it’s a crossover … that’s to be decided and in fact, nothing is set at this point,” Jamie Corstorphine, McLaren’s director of product strategy, told Automotive News.

“If we’re going to do anything, whether it’s this type of product, or any other type of product, the test for us is, can we accurately reflect the DNA of McLaren? That’s the bit you need to spend the time upfront thinking about and proving out.” Expect more news from McLaren in the coming months.