British supercar maker McLaren confirms entry into India

McLaren, the British maker of luxury supercars and also a marquee constructor of the Formula 1 World Championship, has confirmed its imminent foray into the Indian car market. India will be McLaren’s 41st global territory, and the first retail outlet, McLaren Mumbai, will open its doors to the public in October.

According to the company, the entry into the Indian supercar market forms a key part of its global expansion plans and extends the brand’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region. McLaren has appointed Infinity Cars as its first official retail partner in India. Infinity Cars, with Lalit Choudary at the helm, will operate the McLaren retail business under the McLaren Mumbai name. Founded in 2006, Infinity Cars is a retailer of high-performance and premium luxury brands in India. Its operations span major cities in India, including Mumbai, Delhi, and Indore.

The supercar manufacturer will offer the breadth of its model range to Indian customers—including the McLaren GT, and its first-ever high-performance hybrid—the Artura. The core supercar range also includes the universally acclaimed 720S coming in Coupe and Spider variants, along with the 765LT Coupe and Spider.

“India remains an important market where our fans and select clientele can enjoy the best of McLaren in Mumbai. Looking ahead, we will shortly welcome the Artura to India, the all-new high-performance hybrid supercar,” Paul Harris, managing director, APAC and China, McLaren Automotive, has said on the development.

Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India, is believed to be the first person in India to import a right-hand-drive McLaren 720S—one among the 400 ever built—directly from the U.K., in 2018, which is eligible to be registered in India.

The country has seen a 720S before Poonawalla’s, but both reportedly had a UAE registration plate—the car was registered in Dubai—and was brought to India via the carnet route—implying that the car inevitably had to be sent back to the UAE. Poonawalla’s 720S became the first McLaren, which could stay indefinitely in the country.

Initially a racing team, McLaren was founded by its eponymous racer, engineer and entrepreneur, Bruce McLaren in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966, and since then McLaren has won 20 Formula 1 world championships (which includes eight constructors’ championships and 12 drivers’ championships), more than 180 Formula 1 Grands Prix, the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt and the Indianapolis 500 three times.

McLaren Automotive, the subsidiary which makes luxury, high-performance sports cars and supercars, was established in 2010. Every vehicle is assembled by hand at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey in England. McLaren Automotive is the largest part of the McLaren Group.

According to a report from Mordor Intelligence, the Indian luxury car market studied was valued at $1.06 billion in 2021. It is expected to reach a value of over $1.54 billion by 2027—registering a CAGR of more than 6.4% during the forecast period 2022-2027. “Over the long term, as luxury car manufacturers are launching multiple models with various price ranges and user-friendly financing schemes, the demand for luxury cars is expected to rise in the country,” the report adds.