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what engines do mclaren use

McLaren use different engines depending on whether you’re talking about their Formula 1 team or their road cars, but the common theme today is turbocharged V8s and hybrid power.

What engines do McLaren use?

Quick Scoop

If you ask “what engines do McLaren use?” you’re really asking about three overlapping worlds:

  • McLaren in Formula 1
  • McLaren modern road cars (like the 720S, 750S, Artura, W1)
  • Iconic specials like the McLaren F1 of the 1990s

Let’s run through each, then zoom out to how things are changing in 2025–2026 with hybrids and new powertrains.

1. McLaren in Formula 1

For the current F1 era (up through the 2025 season), McLaren Racing runs Mercedes‑AMG hybrid power units.

  • The unit is a 1.6‑litre V6 turbo‑hybrid with energy recovery systems, like all current F1 engines.
  • McLaren are a customer team , buying complete power units from Mercedes High Performance Powertrains.
  • This partnership resumed in 2021 after previous spells with Honda and Renault.

Historically, McLaren’s F1 engines have included:

  • Ford‑Cosworth DFV V8 in the early years.
  • Porsche‑built TAG turbo V6s in the 1980s.
  • Honda V10 and V12 engines in the late 1980s/early 1990s.
  • Mercedes V10/V8 engines in the late 1990s and 2000s.
  • Mercedes, Renault, Honda, and back to Mercedes hybrid V6 in the current era.

In forum-style debates, this is why you’ll often see answers like:
“Right now in F1, McLaren don’t use their own engine – it’s a Mercedes V6 turbo‑hybrid.”

2. McLaren road‑car engines: the V8 era

For road cars, McLaren Automotive mostly uses its own family of twin‑turbo V8 engines , developed with Ricardo and branded with codes like M838T and M840T.

The M838T (early 2010s)

  • First used in the MP4‑12C and 650S.
  • 3.8‑litre twin‑turbo V8, flat‑plane crank, high‑revving with strong turbo torque.

The M840T family (current core V8)

  • 4.0‑litre, 90‑degree, twin‑turbo, flat‑plane V8.
  • Developed and produced by McLaren with Ricardo, introduced on the 720S in 2017.
  • Used in:
    • 720S and 720S GT3 race variants.
* 765LT.

* 750S (the more recent evolution of the 720S).

* Senna, Senna GTR, and track specials using higher‑output versions (M840TR).

* Elva speedster and the hybrid **Speedtail** (paired with an electric motor).

* GT and GTS in slightly different tune (M840TE).

Key traits: high rev‑limit (around 8,500 rpm), twin‑scroll turbochargers, and a focus on power‑to‑emissions efficiency.

3. The hybrid shift: Artura and W1

McLaren is now heavily into hybrid powertrains for its road cars.

McLaren Artura (V6 hybrid)

  • Uses a 3.0‑litre twin‑turbo V6 with an integrated electric motor, called a High‑Performance Hybrid (HPH) setup.
  • This marks a move away from the long‑running V8 family for some models.

McLaren W1 and newer hybrids

  • The new W1 is marketed with an all‑new “McLaren High‑Performance Hybrid Powertrain,” centred around a new MHP‑8 engine plus a lightweight E‑module and F1‑derived battery tech.
  • It continues McLaren’s pattern of pairing a compact combustion engine with electric boost for instant torque and high combined output.

So if you see “HPH” or “MHP‑8” in current discussions, that’s the newer hybrid architecture, not the older M838T/M840T V8s.

4. Legendary outlier: the BMW V12 in the McLaren F1

The 1990s McLaren F1 supercar used a completely different engine: a naturally aspirated BMW 6.1‑litre V12 (code S70/2).

  • Quad‑cam, 48‑valve, variable valve timing.
  • Around 627 bhp and famously responsive.
  • It’s one reason purists still rank the F1 as one of the greatest driver’s cars ever.

Forum discussions often contrast this “old‑school” BMW V12 with modern turbo V8 hybrids, especially when arguing about sound and purity versus performance and efficiency.

5. At a glance: which engines where?

Here’s a compact view to answer “what engines do McLaren use?” across the main contexts.

[8][2][6] [4][8][10] [10][3] [3] [3] [3] [3] [10] [5] [9]
Context / Model Engine used Type & key details Supplier / Developer
F1 (current seasons to 2025) Mercedes‑AMG F1 power unit 1.6L V6 turbo‑hybrid, ERS Mercedes High Performance Powertrains
Older F1 eras Cosworth, TAG‑Porsche, Honda, Mercedes, Renault, etc. NA V8/V10/V12, turbo V6, then V6 hybrids Various external engine partners
MP4‑12C / 650S M838T 3.8L twin‑turbo V8 McLaren / Ricardo
720S / 765LT / 750S M840T 4.0L twin‑turbo V8 McLaren / Ricardo
Senna / Senna GTR / Elva M840TR variants High‑output 4.0L twin‑turbo V8 McLaren / Ricardo
GT / GTS M840TE 4.0L twin‑turbo V8 grand‑touring tune McLaren / Ricardo
Speedtail M840T + e‑motor Hybrid V8, total ~1,050 PS McLaren / Ricardo
Artura HPH V6 hybrid 3.0L twin‑turbo V6 + electric motor McLaren Automotive
W1 MHP‑8 hybrid powertrain New High‑Performance Hybrid with F1‑inspired battery McLaren Automotive
McLaren F1 (1990s) BMW S70/2 6.1L NA V12, ~627 bhp BMW Motorsport

6. Why this matters in 2025–2026 discussions

On forums and trending discussions right now, people are debating:

  • Whether McLaren should build their own F1 power unit in the next regulations era instead of relying on Mercedes.
  • How the new hybrid V6/V8 setups (Artura, W1) compare to the thunder of the old BMW V12 or early twin‑turbo V8s.
  • If McLaren’s in‑house engines can stay special as regulations tighten on emissions and noise.

From a fan’s perspective, you can think of it this way:

F1 McLaren = Mercedes V6 hybrid (for now).
Road‑car McLaren = mainly McLaren‑Ricardo turbo V8s plus a growing wave of McLaren hybrid powertrains (V6 and new‑gen units).

TL;DR:

  • In F1 , McLaren currently use Mercedes‑AMG 1.6L V6 turbo‑hybrid power units.
  • In modern road cars , they mostly use their own twin‑turbo V8s (M838T/M840T family) and now high‑performance hybrids (Artura’s V6, new W1 powertrain).
  • The legendary McLaren F1 road car used a BMW 6.1L V12.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.