McLaren records biggest sales year yet in 2017

McLaren 720S

McLaren scored its best sales year in its history in 2017, shifting 3340 cars across the 12 months.

Although that is only a modest increase over 2016's 3286 cars – which itself represented growth of 99.3% over the previous year – McLaren's newest model, the 720S, achieved the same sales figure in six months as its predecessor did across the whole of 2016.

The best sellers among the range remain the entry-level Sports Series cars, comprising the 570S coupe and Spider, 570GT and 540C. They accounted for 2119 sales.

The Super Series, which is now the 720S alone – took up the other 1221 cars. No Ultimate Series cars were built in the wake of the P1 or ahead of the Senna.

McLaren’s largest market is still North America, which takes up around 37% of the brand’s output. For 2018, McLaren predicts that the Super Series will account for around 50% of sales, as order banks take the company through to the summer. A small portion of 2018 sales will be taken up by the Senna, which is limited to 500 units, although only the first few will reach customers before 2019.

With 12 launches before 2022, McLaren’s product portfolio is set to grow considerably, with the next Ultimate Series car, codenamed BP23, being one of these. Super Series cars are likely to remain the top sellers, though.

McLaren celebrated building its 10,000th car in late 2016. Its 20,000th one is likely to be built in 2019, given the brand's current rate of growth.