In 2019, SUVs are a fact of life and account for the majority category of new cars sold around the world; sad as it is. Increasingly, a demand has emerged for high performance high-riders, to which there are no shortages of Mercedes-AMGs and BMW M’s to cater.
But what about the tier above that, super sport SUVs?
McLaren, a maker of super sports cars, has taken always more traditional approach to how they conceive of and build their cars, seemingly with both volume sales and the whims of those not already interested in their kind of cars being a low priority.
On stage as part of a panel at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Mark Roberts, head of design operations at McLaren Automotive, was asked if or how they are planning to respond to so many of their direct competitors and their foray into new vehicle types, SUVs in particular.
Roberts, with a McLaren Senna at his side and accompanied by two more panelists as well as a Rolls Royce Cullinan and Devel Sixteen, gave a simple and praiseworthy return: “I can easily answer that and say no,” reports Automotive News.
“We really do deliver on the ultimate driving experience. For us, it means no compromise. An SUV doesn’t allow us to deliver on that. It’s not a no-compromise kind of vehicle.” he added.
Automakers entrenched in the sports and performance side of the industry, despite initial protestations about the SUV space and denying plans of entering it, have proven to be quick to fold their deck and relent to consumer flow. After some awkward early models, they’ve gotten better at it, but arguing that a Cayenne or Urus is as competent as a 911 GT3 or Aventador SVJ on the road or track is a pathetic delusion.
Now we have Aston Martin soon to unveil the DBX crossover and Ferrari rumoured to already be in the throws of developing an all-new SUV model, following a path already well tread by Porsche, Lamborghini, and Bentley after they reaped the financial windfalls of pandering to market demand instead of holding true to a righteous philosophy to the pursuit of driving purity.
For more on McLaren cars, check our Showroom.
