Honda, McLaren may team up off the race-track

A PARTNERSHIP between Honda and British sportscar producer McLaren could move from the racetrack to the road, according to a British report.

As reported, McLaren Formula One cars will be powered by Honda engines and energy recovery systems from the start of the 2015 racing season.

The two companies were linked throughout the 1980s and 90s, forging a successful racing partnership that produced four constructor championship wins.

Now, according to British publication AutoCar, McLaren Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh is mooting a potential tie-in for road cars.

Mr Whitmarsh told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix that while the current deal was F1 only, “our road car strategy at the moment has no other automotive partner and Honda would be a good place to collaborate.”

With McLaren’s current and upcoming model line-up already confirmed, Mr Whitmarsh said any results resulting from the tie-in with Honda are unlikely to surface for a number of years.

McLaren recently launched the 673kW petrol-electric P1 hypercar in the UK with an £866,000 (AUD$1.4 million) price tag, adding to its existing line-up that consists of the 12C coupe and Spider.

The British brand is in the process of developing an entry-level Porsche 911-sized sportscar dubbed the P13 that has been spotted testing prior to a rumoured public debut late next year.

The report suggests it could turn into a bilateral technical relationship where both companies benefit from each others expertise, with Mr Whitmarsh saying “nothing’s fixed, but we’re open to that and so are they.”

Previous reports speculated that the McLaren 12C had been used in benchmark testing for Honda’s re-born NSX supercar.