McLaren ad heralds hybrid roadcars

After some public coyness on the question of alternative powertrains for its next generation of roadgoing supercars, long-time Formula One giant McLaren has signalled its intentions for the consumer auto market loud and clear.

The company has posted a recruitment advertisement (read it here) for a hybrid-savvy senior engineer to 'lead the technical assessment, integration and application of appropriate hybrid powertrain technology'.

The ad comes at a critical time for the company as it restructures and prepares to launch its P11 (pictured), the first of a likely series of low-volume, high performance cars it plans to pitch into territory currently dominated by Ferrari and Lamborghini.

Indeed it comes at a critical time for the supercar establishment, now forced to walk the green line in the face of hefty financial penalties to be imposed by the EU on car makers who haven't cut cross-fleet CO2 emissions to an average 130g/km by 2012. This sets up a whole new competitive front for the Italians and competitors like McLaren.

Changes to the terrain of the auto market have opened up space for newcomers like Tesla and Fisker to pitch at the glamour end -- attested to in July with Tesla's opening of a shopfront in London's upmarket Knightsbridge.

In response, the quest has begun for ways of curtailing the thirst and emissions of their products without sacrificing the power and excitement on which they've built their names.

McLaren is off to a flying start with hybrid technologies through its work on kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) for its Formula One cars.

While KERS is yesterday's news on the track, the company will likely look to recoup some of its investment by incorporating some of what it has learnt into its roadgoing consumer product, where it will likely gain rather than lose relevance.

Promising substantial emissions cuts over the next few years, both the Italian giants have announced plans to integrate hybrid technologies into their powertrains.

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said in a recent media statement that over the next five years the marque will put $60 million into its bid to cut emissions by 35 per cent across its range by 2015.

To that end, it will be working on ongoing weight reductions and investigating technologies like auto stop-start systems, biofuels and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains.

Given the electric motor's ability to turn on full torque instantaneously, it's clear that such systems could be used to considerable advantage by makers at this end of the market. Its existing engines will see combustion efficiency improvements and reductions to friction.

Ferrari, meanwhile, is targeting a 40 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and emissions for its cars by 2012. The company has already shown its weight reduction mettle in the Millechili, a super-light (1000kg) successor to the Enzo, and an E85-ready F430 Spyder. Next, it looks set to present an AWD hybrid concept car at the Los Angeles motor show later this year.

Ferrari boss Amedeo Felisa told media earlier this year the company was testing hybrid systems in a 599, with a view to having a hybrid model in the range by as early as 2015.

This was around the same time Ferrari announced an extensive overhaul to its Modena manufacturing facility, making it more eco-friendly.

Getting the company's well-to-wheels environmental performance in line with legislative requirements was of the highest priority, Felisa said, consuming more than half its R&D spend.

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