McLaren’s future might include a formal four-passenger model. That's according to company CEO Mike Flewitt who told Autocar that he “wouldn’t rule out doing at least a 2+2. It’s doable, so we’ll look at it.”

Unfortunately, a four-seat McLaren is unlikely to come to fruition until sometime after 2025, as Flewitt acknowledge that such a model is not part of the company’s plan to deliver 18 new models by the middle of the upcoming decade.

However, the real crux that is holding McLaren back from bringing a four-passenger vehicle to market relates to interior packaging. With the company currently placing its powertrains in the middle of its cars, squeezing two additional seats that offer a modicum of comfort and a reasonable amount of stretch-out space is a difficult task.

“The car can’t have an enormous wheelbase. It has to stay agile,” Flewitt said to Autocar.

McLaren’s embracement of electrification and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains, however, may afford the company more space to play with inside of its cars’ passenger compartments as more compact electric motors can support or supplant space-eating internal combustion engines and their associated kit, which includes space-eating gas tanks and various other bits.

While we would love to see McLaren produce a proper grand touring car with room for four people, we’re certainly not going to hold our breath. Yes, it sounds as though such a model is likely to reach production in the coming years, but by the time McLaren formally introduces the model, we will likely have already passed out from asphyxiation.

Source: Autocar