McLaren to enter India in 2018

India could finally get its first McLaren dealership, as the British sportscar manufacturer looks to expand its presence across the globe. The company is planning to enter the country – which already has other popular sportscar marques such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Maserati and Porsche – in 2018.

Globally, McLaren's range includes sports cars such as the 540C, the 570 range comprising the Coupé, Spider and GT, the 650S (Spider and Coupe), the 675LT range and its most recent addition, the 720S. The carmaker is also known for the P1 hypercar which was sold out in 2013.

McLaren will offer its full range of sportscars but is banking on the entry-level 540C – expected to be priced at Rs 2 crore (ex-showroom) – to get the sales numbers. At launch, the carmaker will have a sales target of 10 cars per year. Though this conservative sales target hardly makes a noticeable difference to McLaren's stated global sales target of up to 5,000 cars annually by 2022, it will definitely boost its brand value in the country. Last year, it sold 3,286 units, nearly double from 1,654 cars sold in 2015.

The Indian supercar segment – comprising cars priced upwards of Rs 2.5 crore – is touted to grow at a rapid pace and is likely to cross three-digit figures by end of next year. The segment is currently led by Lamborghini, which sold 30 of the 70-odd cars sold in the segment in 2016.

Interestingly, in what is an indication of the growing affinity of Indians towards McLaren, two 720S sportscars registered abroad were recently spotted plying in the country.

 At present, McLaren has a total of 79 sales and service outlets spread over Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, North America, and Latin America. The India-entry is part of its effort to set up dealerships in newer markets which also include Brazil and Russia.