Skip advert
Advertisement

McLaren's future secured as Abu Dhabi buyer confirms sale

McLaren’s Bahraini owners agree to sell the automotive division to Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings, which already has investments in Gordon Murray Technologies and Nio

McLaren for sale

McLaren Automotive is about to change hands, as its current owner, the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, has agreed to sell the automotive division to Abu Dhabi-based CYVN Holdings LLC. This, hot on the heels of the firm ringing in a new era with the McLaren W1 hypercar, its successor to the P1. The sale will effectively see McLaren Automotive passed from Bahraini sovereign wealth fund ownership to Abu Dhabi government ownership. CYVN will also receive a non-controlling stake in the wider McLaren Group, including its racing arm.

Advertisement - Article continues below

CYVN Holdings operates in the fields of smart and advanced mobility solutions. As such, it’s claimed the move will, in addition to giving access to additional capital, also bring advanced engineering expertise pertaining to electric cars within McLaren’s reach. The goal of building on ‘McLaren’s highly successful track record in elite motorsport’ is mentioned, too, though without specific reference to the Formula 1 McLaren Racing outfit.

CYVN acquired a controlling stake in Gordon Murray Technologies in July 2023 providing the manufacturer to increase its investment in the development of electric vehicles and its iStream platform technology; anecdotally linking Murray and McLaren again for the first time since the legendary designer departed McLaren in 2005. It’s also invested in Forseven, a British EV startup with ex-JLR personnel (including former executive director of vehicle programmes Nick Collins as CEO) and Chinese EV manufacturer Nio.

McLaren sale

McLaren W1

Following the recent news, His Excellency Jassem Mohammed Bu Ataba Al Zaabi, Chairman of CYVN Holdings, said: 'By combining McLaren’s iconic heritage and expertise with CYVN’s advanced engineering and technology capabilities, we aim to redefine high-performance mobility and set a new benchmark for excellence.' 

The sale of McLaren isn’t a new subject, with talks having taken place in the recent past with German giants BMW and Audi. Audi of course latterly took control of the Sauber Formula 1 outfit, to relaunch as a factory team for 2026. In 2021, McLaren Group agreed the sale and leaseback of its global headquarters, which included the McLaren Technology Centre and McLaren Production Centre, for £170 million, with a 20-year leaseback agreed as a part of McLaren Group’s refinancing strategy at the time.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Revised Dallara Stradale broadens road and track focus
Dallara Stradale front
News

Revised Dallara Stradale broadens road and track focus

Track-focused but road-legal purist driver’s car comes in for a raft of enhancements
13 Mar 2025
Ferrari 488 GTB (2015 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide
Ferrari 488 GTB
In-depth reviews

Ferrari 488 GTB (2015 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide

Ferrari’s first turbocharged supercar of the modern era was a monumental achievement and now, a bit of a bargain (relatively speaking)
13 Mar 2025
Used Porsche 911 GT3 (991, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide
Porsche 911 GT3 (991) front
Reviews

Used Porsche 911 GT3 (991, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide

The 991-generation GT3 brought massive changes for the GT3 bloodline as a whole, for better and worse
6 Mar 2025
McLaren 750S replacement to get detuned W1 hypercar hybrid V8
MCLaren W1
News

McLaren 750S replacement to get detuned W1 hypercar hybrid V8

McLaren has confirmed that the all-new hybrid V8 it’s developed for the W1 will live on beyond the run of 399 hypercars, powering future McLaren super…
26 Feb 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
10 Mar 2025
Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming
2025 Porsche 911 GT3
News

Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming

The 911 will get even more exclusive and desirable variants with increased customisability going forward
12 Mar 2025
Pagani Utopia 2025 review – £2.2m Huayra successor nails the hypercar formula
Pagani Utopia
Reviews

Pagani Utopia 2025 review – £2.2m Huayra successor nails the hypercar formula

Only Pagani’s third model-line in more than 25 years, the Utopia builds on everything that made the Zonda and Huayra great, then adds its own unique c…
12 Mar 2025