McLaren Confirms New Hybrid V-8 Will Power Upcoming Supercars

• McLaren has confirmed a renewed partnership with longtime engine supplier Ricardo.
• Under the multi-year contract, Ricardo will produce a new hybrid V-8 for future McLaren supercars.
• McLaren also confirmed the new engine will power existing and future hybrid supercars in its lineup.

McLaren officially announced a renewed partnership with its longtime engine supplier Ricardo—not to be confused with former McLaren F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. The multi-year contract confirms a new hybrid V-8 will power McLaren’s upcoming supercars.

The partnership dates back to the 2011 introduction of the McLaren 12C, with Ricardo producing the car’s V-8. The company also supplies the current V-6 setup in the hybrid McLaren Artura. The full scope of the new contract is unknown, but McLaren has confirmed the new hybrid V-8 will power both current and future supercars in its lineup as part of what McLaren is calling its Future of Performance strategy.

We already know that a hybrid successor to the 2013 P1 supercar is on the way and is expected to launch sometime in 2026. Around that same time, there are plans for a hybrid replacement for the recently revealed McLaren 750S, a vital switch with the company planning to electrify its entire fleet by the end of 2026. It’s expected that both cars will feature some variation of the new hybrid V-8, although they will surely have different outputs.

The 2024 750S isn’t all that different from the 720S it is replacing, but it does share lighter pistons with the 765LT and harness increased boost pressure to raise output to 740 horsepower. We expect the more potent changes will come with the introduction of the new V-8 in 2026. The P1 replacement is sure to be even mightier, as McLaren is bound to build on the 903-hp legacy of the 2014 car.

The announcement also inadvertently promises McLaren will not only continue to produce internal-combustion cars beyond 2030, but that it will also continue making V-8s. As part of today’s announcement, Ricardo CEO Graham Ritchie said, “We are extremely pleased to have concluded this new engine supply agreement with McLaren Automotive for their next generation high-performance V-8 powertrain, which extends the long-term relationship between both companies into the next decade.”

Hallelujah to that.

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Associate News Editor

Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.