McLaren
McLaren is not a car brand, but it is very much present and heard in the global car industry. McLaren is actually a name referring to a well established and veteran motor racing team that is based in Surrey in England. What is so distinct about the team is that it was formed and maintained by a New Zealand-born Formula One constructor named Bruce McLaren.
Aside from competing actively in the Formula One racing events, McLaren has also been very visible in other car races, including the 24 Hours Le Mans, the Canadian-American Challenge Cup and the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. As a car racing name, McLaren uses cars with distinct engines manufactured by the world's most reliable names, including Ford, General Motors and others.
Because of its immense popularity as a car racing team, several investors have decided to spin off the name McLaren and form a car assembly firm that carries the name. Thus, during the 1990s, the McLaren Automotive became a full pledged, independent and stand alone car manufacturing company. Initially, McLaren cars were synonymous with car races, and so the target buyers and consumers of the car brand are the car racers and auto enthusiasts.
As a car racing brand, McLaren didn't evolve without difficulties. Through the decades, McLaren car racing team had its ups and downs. From being a Kiwi-founded car racing team in the Formula One, McLaren expended to other car races as well. However, in Formula One, the name was much more prominent and grew huge to become a car brand that is a common household name.
In the 1980s, McLaren as a car racing team further gained an edge to become the best and most recognized car racing team there is. There were so many modifications made to the cars used by the team in winning races and events. Car racing by that time was starting to evolve as a very prominent and hugely popular motoring event.
In terms of sponsorship, McLaren became bigger and more prominent with huge sponsorship deals from the biggest and most lucrative sponsors. Initially, in the 1970s, the racing team carried the Yardley sponsorship. Then, in the year 1974, McLaren entered into the longest sponsorship deal in global car racing history with its partnership with Marlboro, a cigarette brand owned by Phillip Morris. The deal ended in 1996, and a year after, West came to acquire the sponsorship. Vodafone, the telephone operator, is now among the active sponsors of the team.
When you talk about McLaren, you probably talk about two things; McLaren, the car brand and company and McLaren, as the car racing team. Through the years, the name McLaren has always been equated with technology, victory and style. Indeed, car enthusiasts have high regard for the word McLaren, whichever concept the word is talking about.
As a matter of fact, McLaren is one of the most important brands in history. Through different deals and partnerships with major sponsors, McLaren has proved that it takes more to exist as a car brand and as a racing team at the same time.
Original Authors: Manny
Edit Update Authors: RPN
Updated On: 28/06/2007
