McLaren CEO: We grew from one to 7 outlets in region since 2011

Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren, emphasized the importance of the Middle East region for the company and pointed out the fast growth rate of McLaren in the region, from one outlet in 2011 to seven outlets in the current year.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, he said the Middle East is one of the most important markets for Mclaren and a region seeing a growing demand.
This was demonstrated last year by an increased proportion of the McLaren P1 being sold in the region.
Demand also increased in the region throughout 2013 for the 12C and 12C Spider; however production remained at the same level as the previous year. Meeting demand is key to growing a business, but McLaren is also building the McLaren brand globally, and exclusivity is a core attribute that customers appreciate, understand and desire.
Since opening the first Middle East retailer in 2011, McLaren now have a well-established retail network in the region with Manama, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait City and Doha all having state of the art facilities in some of the most luxurious and iconic locations the region has to offer.
He adds: “Like us, our carefully chosen retail partners share the beliefs and attributes of McLaren, understanding that as a new luxury high performance sports car brand, a strong after-sales network and the highest service levels must be the foundation of our business.”

These are the highlights of the interview with Mike Flewitt:

What sets McLaren apart from other sports cars manufacturers?
McLaren is as ambitious now as when Bruce McLaren started the race team 50 years ago. The ambition of that early team was to win races through the pursuit of excellence, with a desire to push the boundaries and achieve success. Through passion and continued drive, the McLaren name has become arguably the most successful name in global motor sport. As a manufacturer of high performance sports cars for the road we are translating that ambition and passion to a context relevant to us as an automotive business, and we are now focused on becoming “the iconic sports car company”. McLaren offers Formula 1-derived technologies and ground-breaking innovations such as the carbon fiber MonoCell chassis, ProActive Chassis Control and Brake Steer, to name only a few. 

Why did McLaren see it relevant to offer the 650S this year in Geneva after a supercar like the P1 was launched a year ago?
When McLaren was launched, we committed to launching a new car or derivative every year. The first car launched was the 12C in 2011, followed by the 12C Spider in 2012. In 2013 we launched the (now sold-out), McLaren P1, which is our ultimate next generation supercar and only 375 examples will be built. The McLaren 650S includes learning from the McLaren P1 program, and joining the McLaren range above the 12C.
The McLaren 650S is a multi-purpose, high performance sports car, offering increased levels of driver engagement, aerodynamic performance and refinement. No other series-production sports car on sale today offers such a breadth of capabilities.
Maximum driver appeal and driver engagement are at the heart of this car. Many McLaren owners do use their cars daily, and frequently drive hard on track days. The McLaren 650S is a no-compromise option designed for both.
The 650S is reported to have much more to offer than the 12C for a fraction more of the price, how do think this would affect sales of the 12C?
Everything we’ve learnt from the McLaren P1 and the 12C has gone into the McLaren 650S. The result is a car that’s faster, more fun and thrilling to drive, yet also more comfortable, luxurious and even easier to enjoy, day-to-day.
The 12C remains on sale with a limited number of cars available from our retailers, but its production has been suspended to make way for initial 650S demand however we believe there is a place in the market for a car at these two price points. If we see more demand for the 12C we would be able to start production again very quickly.

What is your target global sales’ figure in the next three years and how does that compare with rivals?
We are focused at McLaren on designing, developing and bringing to market supercars over the coming years which will further expand the McLaren range and take us into new segments.
Sales in 2014 are expected to be in-line with the past couple of years, with around 1,400 cars sold globally. The state-of-the-art McLaren Production Center has been designed with the capability to expand as sales increase, however this will remain significantly below the number of cars built by our nearest competitor to ensure McLaren models remain exclusive.

Is McLaren developing any vehicles below the 12C in the foreseeable future?
We are always looking to new opportunities and a supercar with a price point below the 12C (codenamed P13), is something that we have confirmed we will launch. The P13 model will be our entry level-model available in more than one derivative. We have committed to launching a new car or derivative every year, but this will not be 2014’s model.