McLaren is one of the finest makers of supercars in the world right now. They of course have brought us icons like the F1. But more recent years have seen the P1, Artura, Senna and 720S come from the British supercar manufacturer. Pretty much everything the company has done in recent years has been exceptionally well received. To take things to the next level though, McLaren has decided to enter a unique partnership. This partnership is with Lockheed-Martin’s famous Skunk Works division.
That might sound like a strange partnership on the face of it. The Skunk Works division of Lockheed-Martin is of course most famous for some incredible . aircraft. This includes the F-117 Nighthawk and the SR-71 Blackbird, as well as the U-2 and the A-12. So what is this partnership all about? Well, in typical Skunk Works fashion, the two companies have been a little cagey on what this means. We don’t have any firm details as to what the partnership will entail. But it’s clear that McLaren has decided to take some stealth input for its supercars. And that could lead to a very exciting supercar future.
What The Lockheed-Martin Collaboration Means For McLaren
First of all, this partnership gives McLaren access to the labs of one of the world’s greatest aircraft manufacturers. Lockheed-Martin has developed some amazing machines over the years, including the recent F-35 Lightning II. McLaren now has access to the design software of the Skunk Works division. This can now get applied to the supercars the British company produces. That in itself is quite an exciting prospect. We do know that there is an eye toward high-speed automotive systems for this partnership. That is very much inline with the past of Skunk Works.
The SR-71 Blackbird is still the world’s fastest conventional aircraft. Its top speed is Mach 3.3, or 2,193 mph. So think of what Lockheed-Martin could do as it shares that sort of technology with McLaren. The fastest McLaren we have seen so far is the Speedtail. This has a top speed of 250.4 mph, with a 0-186 mph time of just 12.8 seconds. Don’t forget as well that McLaren’s F1 was, for many years, the world’s fastest production car. Its top speed was 240.1 mph, achieved back in 1998 by Andy Wallace. If speed is a goal here, both companies are well versed in obtaining it.
Could We See A Stealth Supercar From McLaren?
This is the next prospect that could be in store. It seems crazy to think McLaren would just want to extract speed from Skunk Works for its supercars. The division is of course famous for stealth aircraft, most notably the F-117 Nighthawk. So could we get a stealth supercar from the partnership? It’s possible. While that would have no practical purpose, it would be quite the coup for McLaren. There is currently no such thing as a “stealth supercar”. This has surely to be on the minds of those at the Skunk Works and McLaren.
On top of that, it also opens the door for new construction methods. This would tie in with the aim of using Skunk Works design software for McLaren supercars. Stealth aircraft like the Blackbird and Nighthawk feature unique construction methods. And to say at the top of the supercar tree, McLaren will have to offer something a little different compared to its rivals. Opening the supercar world up to new construction methods and aeronautical materials will showcase the very best of the company’s innovation. Who better to do this with than the creators of the Stealth Fighter?
What Else The Partnership Might Have To Offer
With so few details revealed by both McLaren and Lockheed-Martin, it’s difficult to really gauge what else could be coming. The announcement of the partnership saw a black McLaren Artura posed with the Lockheed-Martin Darkstar concept from the film Top Gun: Maverick. The Darkstar does offer a bit of a glimpse into the future, so perhaps this was a subtle hint that Skunk Works aims to really take McLaren into the future. It is only a conceptual design, but the Darkstar might be a tease into the next-generation Blackbird, the SR-72.
One Of The Most Exciting Automotive Partnerships In Years
Whatever form this partnership takes, one thing is for sure. This is one of the most exciting partnerships in the automotive world we have seen in years. McLaren and Lockheed-Martin are true leaders in their fields. And the Skunk Works division is one of the most famous in the world of aviation. The fact so little was actually revealed in the two companies announcement leaves us even more excited for what we might get to see. Will we see a Darkstar styled supercar? Will McLaren aim for the world’s fastest production car again? So many questions that we would love to get answered as soon as possible.
Source: McLaren
