Sports carmaker McLaren achieves record-breaking year for global sales

Global sales at British luxury sportscar brand McLaren reached record-breaking levels last year, thanks to growth in the UK, North American and Chinese markets.

Global sales rose to 4,806 cars in 2018, up 43.9 per cent on 2017, another record for the company which has increased sales every year since its formation in 2010.

McLaren's UK domestic market generated 49.2 per cent year-on-year growth.

In North America, the company's biggest single market which contributes a third of all global sales, the company celebrated selling its 5,000th car, while European sales rose 44.2 per cent.

It was China, however, that saw the biggest growth, at 122.5 per cent, following the introduction of the 570S Spider and 720S. China now accounts for almost seven per cent of total global sales.

McLaren chief executive Mike Flewitt said:  "Record sales highlight what a momentous year 2018 was for McLaren Automotive when over 4,800 cars left our production centre. That compares to 1,650 in 2015 showing the remarkable expansion in just three years as we work to consolidate growth to 6,000 cars a year by the end of our Track25 business plan. 

"We believe we're well-placed in 2019 with a global market spread and diverse product portfolio. Our optimism is buoyed by the fact that we already have strong order banks into this year and exciting products lined up alongside the prospect of seeing our new in-house developed 720S GT3 race car hit the track with customer teams for the first time as we seek to strengthen the links between our founder's racing history and our production cars."

Growth was supported by sites opening in Bellevue, Washington, Michigan in North America, a second site in Tokyo as well as new sites in Sao Paulo, Guangzhou in China and Leeds in the UK.

The boosted sales come shortly after the company celebrated producing its 15,000th car in the summer at the McLaren production centre in Surrey.