The McLaren vehicle nomenclature isn’t the most concise on the market today. The alphanumeric naming scheme started with the MP4-12C in 2011, and carried on to all models, vehicles like the 650S, the 720S, the 540C, and the P1, just to name a few. Thankfully, the British supercar maker has decided to smarten up and rethink its naming structure in lieu of the new Senna.
According to Autocar, McLaren execs are exploring more traditional nameplates for their vehicles moving forward. The Senna – named after famed McLaren F1 driver Ayrton Senna – was the first in what could be a line of newly named McLaren supercars. CEO Mike Flewitt said that the Ultimate Series will be the first to adopt traditional names over alphanumerics – that includes the upcoming P1 replacement, internally dubbed the BP23.
But don’t expect the entire McLaren lineup to adopt this new naming scheme. Sports and Super Series models will likely retain their current letter and number identifiers. That means cars like the 570S, the 570GT, and the 720S will use continue to use alphanumeric nameplates in the future.
Of course, the company will still utilize its MSO acronym to identify high-performance models. The company recently released a group MSO X versions of the 570S, made to look like the track-only 570S GT4. Just 10 examples of those cars will be built, each with unique design elements, including intakes, a massive wing, and the capability to produce up to 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of downforce.
Expect to see the new naming scheme on the upcoming BP23 hypercar. Touted as the “fastest McLaren ever,” the hypercar will have upwards of 1,000 horsepower (745 kilowatts) and a hybrid powertrain. Here’s hoping it has an equally impressive name to match.
Source: Autocar
