The new McLaren logo
Heritage restored, but has it lost some speed?
McLaren has unveiled a new visual identity, bringing its Automotive and Racing divisions together under a single, more unified look. It is a classy piece of design with a genuinely compelling story behind it, but I’m not yet sure it looks entirely at home on a supercar.
The centrepiece is a new wordmark inspired by the sign that once stood above the McLaren family service station in Remuera, Auckland. The garage was owned by Bruce McLaren’s parents and it was there that Bruce worked on the car that would take him to his first racing victory.
It is difficult not to like that idea. So many rebrands manufacture a connection with the past; this one can draw directly from the company’s origins. In fact, the new wordmark is almost a straight recreation of the name above the original family garage, refined into a contemporary typeface called McLaren Sans.
That history gives the identity substance. This is not merely a fashionable new font applied to an established name. It takes McLaren back to New Zealand, Bruce McLaren and the modest beginnings of what would become one of the most famous names in motorsport.
From racetrack to fashion house
I liked the typeface in the previous identity, even if it had begun to look a little dated. Its wide curvy font felt connected to the machinery, aerodynamics and engineering of McLaren’s cars.
The new typography is considerably lighter and much more elegant. It is beautifully executed, and the small underlined under the 'c' another feature inherited from the original garage sign, is a really lovely detail. As a piece of typography, the execution is difficult to fault.
But does it say high-performance car? To me, it says high-end fashion.
Perhaps that impression comes partly from the resemblance between the words McLaren and Ralph Lauren when presented in this more elegant style. It also reflects a much wider branding trend: numerous luxury fashion houses have replaced distinctive wordmarks with restrained sans-serif typography. The results are often impeccably done, but they can also feel a bit to interchangeable and disconnected from the individual character of the brand.
McLaren’s new wordmark has more history behind it than most of those redesigns, yet its look still places it closer to a luxury boutique than a pit lane. I could imagine it sitting very naturally on the nose of an elegant Rolls-Royce. McLarens, however, are sports cars, dramatic, aerodynamic machines shaped by speed.
At present, the wordmark does not quite communicate that energy.
The Speedmark never felt fast enough
Although I appreciated the old lettering, I was never a great fan of the way the Speedmark sat alongside it. Nor, if I’m honest, have I ever been entirely convinced by the Speedmark itself.
For a symbol intended to evoke movement, it never felt fast enough. It was certainly recognisable, but its relationship with the wordmark often appeared slightly awkward, more like an attachment than an integral part of the design.
The new identity gives McLaren more flexibility in how the elements are used. The Speedmark has not disappeared; it remains part of the wider brand system, along with the Speedy Kiwi, which honours Bruce McLaren’s New Zealand roots. According to McLaren’s announcement, retaining these symbols recognises their importance to fans while allowing the new wordmark to take centre stage.
The Speedy Kiwi is particularly welcome. It is distinctive, full of personality and firmly rooted in McLaren’s history. It feels less like a generic expression of speed and more like something that could belong only to McLaren.
Papaya remains unmistakably McLaren
Thankfully, papaya remains central to the identity.
Colour is one of McLaren’s greatest visual assets. Papaya is bold, distinctive and immediately associated with the marque. Few automotive brands can claim such a strong relationship with a single colour, and it gives the identity some of the energy that the quieter new typography lacks.
McLaren has also introduced an expanded palette based on significant moments from its history. This is a clever way to give the brand more range without abandoning what people already recognise. The combination of the new wordmark, the historic Kiwi and that unmistakable papaya could ultimately create something much richer than a simple logo change.
Perhaps it just needs time
Seeing a new identity for the first time is always slightly uncomfortable, particularly when it replaces something so familiar. The previous McLaren logo had years to establish itself on cars, racing suits, garages and merchandise. The new one has not yet had that opportunity.
At the moment, I like the typography more as a piece of graphic design than as a badge on a car. It is elegant, beautifully made and supported by a wonderful story, but it does not yet seem to possess the visual aggression of the machines carrying it.
That may prove temporary. Once it has been properly integrated into McLaren’s cars and racing environments, rather than simply placed onto them, it may begin to feel completely natural, which is often the case with new logos. The accompanying launch film which traces the transformation and history of the identity, certainly makes a persuasive case for the change.
My initial verdict is therefore mixed, but positive. I admire the decision to return to Bruce McLaren’s beginnings. I love the renewed prominence of the Kiwi and the continued use of papaya. I also think the new typography has been executed with real care.
I’m just waiting for it to feel as fast as the cars.
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