New McLaren logo pays homage to Bruce McLaren and brand's Kiwi roots

McLaren has become the latest automaker to reveal a change in branding, having unveiled a new-look logo overnight.

Unlike some other recent rebrands, like the controversial pivot of fellow British brand Jaguar, McLaren’s change harks back to its history – in particular, the legacy of its founder Bruce McLaren.

The new-look McLaren logo adopts a cleaner look, with each letter capitalised and the small ‘C’ lifted by a line underneath. The red ‘streamlined speedmark’, commonly misconstrued as looking like a Kiwi as per McLaren’s original logo, has disappeared.

It’s a change that, on the surface, fits in with the contemporary trend of minimalist branding. Only, it draws a direct line to Bruce McLaren’s early days in motoring.

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The logo’s text is a direct homage to the hand-painted ‘McLaren’s’ text from the awning over the McLaren family’s original service station in Remuera, Auckland – complete with the little line underneath the ‘C’.

And the font is a new typeface developed by McLaren, suitably called ‘McLaren Sans’.

McLaren has confirmed that its ‘speedmark’ and its ‘Speedy Kiwi’ slogan will continue to be part of its brand identity. It’s also confirmed that this new logo will feature not just on its road cars, but also on its Formula 1 race cars.

“[McLaren has] always looked ahead, driven by a restless desire to innovate, create and push beyond expectations. This evolution of our visual identity captures that spirit,” said McLaren chief executive David Woodhouse.

“It's a reflection of the journey we are on as a company. It marks the beginning of a new chapter for McLaren, giving a physical expression to the ambition, creativity and forward momentum that is shaping our future.”

McLaren Racing chief marketing officer Lou McEwen added: “McLaren Racing and Automotive teams started by drawing on their shared archives to explore the symbols, stories and design details that have defined McLaren from Bruce’s earliest years in New Zealand to the global brand of today.

“At the heart of the identity is a new McLaren wordmark, inspired by the sign above the family service station in Remuera, Auckland.

“Owned by Bruce’s parents, Les and Ruth McLaren, it was where Bruce built the car that would take him to his first racing victory. Recrafting that identity for today, it reconnects McLaren with its origins while giving the brand a confident visual language for the future.”

The announcement is McLaren’s second significant reveal in as many weeks, following confirmation that it is planning to develop its first performance SUV as part of a $1.17 billion investment in UK manufacturing.