McLaren Automotive is set to merge with EV startup Forseven Holdings, marking a bold new chapter for the British supercar manufacturer under new ownership.
The deal was announced on April 3, 2025, following the acquisition of McLaren Automotive by Abu Dhabi-based investment firm CYVN Holdings, which also added a minority, non-controlling stake in the McLaren Formula 1 team to its portfolio as part of the deal.
The merger between Forseven and McLaren Automotive will enable the newly formed McLaren Group Holdings to broaden its model line-up, shifting from exclusively mid-engined supercars to include SUVs and all-electric vehicles.
Significantly, CYVN Holdings also backs Chinese EV giant NIO and strategically acquired British engineering firm Gordon Murray Technologies (GMT) back in 2023. Therefore, future cars developed under McLaren Group Holdings will benefit from NIO’s EV know-how, as well as GMT’s cutting-edge engineering and lightweighting technologies.
The merger not only provides McLaren with the financial backing and technological expertise needed to compete with Ferrari – which launches its own performance EV in 2026 – but also aims to elevate the brand’s customer experience and expand its global dealership and supplier networks.
Nick Collins has been appointed CEO of McLaren Group Holdings after occupying the same role at Forseven since the beginning of 2024. It’s understood that Forseven was never intended to be a public-facing company, and that it has been developing cars for the past three years in “stealth mode”, as the company puts it.
“With the support and ambitions of our shareholder, we have a unique opportunity to sustainably grow McLaren into a world-beating company,” said Nick Collins. “The combination of what McLaren has achieved, and what Forseven has built in a short time, is incredibly complementary. Together, we believe McLaren can be more, can do more and can offer more.”
More to follow in the coming months.
