Rumors that McLaren Automotive is working on a hybrid supercar swirling again with word that the company is looking for an electrical engineer with gas-electric experience.
The British firm wants someone to work on the “concept, design and development of the electrical package and wiring system for a hybrid electric vehicle," according to a McLaren advert spotted by the blokes at Britain's Autocar magazine. The job posting renewed speculation that kicked up last year when McLaren was looking for a hybrid drivetrain engineer.
McLaren, of course, had no comment beyond telling Autocar, “Hybrid technology is something that we are looking at and assessing. It is something we are interested in.” That's pretty much what it said about the first ad.
Still, it's worth noting that Ferrari -- which is the company's biggest competitor, both in Formula 1 and in the supercar arena where the forthcoming McLaren MP4-12C (pictured) will compete -- unveiled the 599-based HY-KERS hybrid earlier this year. Ferrari has patented a gas-electric system, and Lamborghini teased us with the sweet Estoque hybrid concept two years ago.
Clearly the incentive is there, and building a hybrid would monetize the kinetic energy recovery system McLaren developed for the the 2009 F1 season.
Photo: McLaren Automotive
