McLaren Automotive Sold to Abu Dhabi–Based Investment Firm

CYVN Holdings, an investment firm based in the United Arab Emirates and owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, has agreed to buy McLaren’s car-building division from the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, which is the nation’s sovereign wealth fund. While the purchase price hasn’t been published, the new ownership is expected to give the British company the resources it needs to continue growing.

In a statement announcing the deal, CYVN Holdings describes itself as “an advanced mobility operator and investment vehicle.” Its portfolio includes a roughly $2.2 billion stake in Chinese EV manufacturer Nio and a controlling stake in Gordon Murray Technologies. In an unexpected twist of fate, Gordon Murray played a significant role in developing several McLaren models, including the highly sought-after F1.

What the take-over means for McLaren isn’t entirely clear. Nothing suggests that production of the 750S (or any other models, for that matter) will move from England to the United Arab Emirates—we’re not talking about that kind of acquisition—but we’ll need to be patient to find out whether CYVN will simply fund McLaren or whether it will try to shape its production portfolio, potentially with EV tech and know-how from the other companies it owns. The company explained that it wants “to empower McLaren to reach its full potential via access to engineering and design capabilities, leading-edge technology, and experienced leadership.”

Above all, expect CYVN to pour cash into McLaren’s coffers. The carmaker has a lot of expensive projects in the pipeline, including an on-again, off-again SUV that it prefers to call a “shared performance vehicle” and an electric supercar that’s purported to be lighter than models like the Rimac Nevera. While the SUV could be built on an existing platform, bringing both projects to production will require a huge investment. The company is also in the process of ramping up production of the W1 (pictured at the top of this story), a hypercar unveiled earlier in 2024.

You’re not alone if the idea of a McLaren-branded SUV sends chills down your spine, but keep in mind that high-riding models sell. Bentley’s best-seller is the Bentayga. Rolls-Royce’s? Yep, the Cullinan. I’m not giving out points for guessing the nameplate that tops Lamborghini’s annual sales chart. Successfully entering a high-volume segment should generate profits that McLaren can funnel into cool, enthusiast-friendly projects. Porsche has been doing this for years with the Cayenne, which helps pay for wild 911s.

CYVN Holdings might also have a say in how McLaren runs its racing team, as it also purchased a non-controlling stake in its motorsports division. For its part, McLaren hasn’t commented on the sale yet.