Supercar brand on a fast track to Yorkshire

IT IS one of the fastest-growing motoring brands even though its most affordable models cost from £135,000.

But until now Yorkshire customers of McLaren – a rival to Porsche, Ferrari and other supercar marques – have had to travel to Wilmslow in Cheshire.

Now the company has announced plans for a new dealership in Leeds. The sportscar and supercar brand says its eighth centre will be a 12,000 sq ft showroom off the M1 near Temple Newsam by the end of the year.

McLaren Leeds will join the network of facilities in Ascot, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Hatfield, London and Manchester (Wilmslow).

McLaren says the opening of the new premises recognises the city’s status as one of the fastestgrowing in the country and an important centre for luxury cars.

Leeds is also the home town of the brand’s design director Rob Melville.

David Gilbert, managing director at McLaren Automotive Europe, said: “This new addition to the McLaren retail network is another key step in our growth plan and we are very excited to welcome McLaren Leeds as our eighth retail partner in the UK.”

Ross Park, director at Park’s Motor Group which will operate the centre, said: “We are delighted and honoured to be chosen by McLaren to open our second retailer in Leeds.”

McLaren has been strengthening ties to the Yorkshire region with a £50m investment in the new McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) between Sheffield and Rotherham. Currently under construction, it is expected to lead to up to 200 jobs by the time it is fully operational.