Story perspectives

McLaren Invests £450M in Woking Tech Centre, Hiring 1,000

9/10/2026

Summary

Story summary

McLaren is investing £450 million in a new Woking technology centre, creating about 1,000 jobs.
The hiring raises McLaren’s workforce by roughly 40 percent, from 2,500 to about 3,500 employees.
CYVN Holdings, owned by the Abu Dhabi government, bought McLaren’s automotive unit in 2025 and pledged $2 billion over five years.
Chief creative officer David Woodhouse, formerly of Nissan and Ford, will lead the product-strategy overhaul.

History

Historical Context

In 1999, the United Kingdom launched the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield, aiming to boost high-tech engineering. The UK government and industry partners, including Toyota and Rolls-Royce, pledged £30 million, creating a hub that attracted over 200 research projects within five years. McLaren’s £450 million Woking technology centre, backed by Abu Dhabi-owned CYVN Holdings and led by former Nissan executive David Woodhouse, mirrors that public-private partnership model. The precedent suggests the new facility will accelerate UK automotive innovation, potentially generating 1,000 jobs and expanding the sector’s global competitiveness.

1 of 2

Story summary

McLaren is investing £450 million in a new Woking technology centre, creating about 1,000 jobs.
The hiring raises McLaren’s workforce by roughly 40 percent, from 2,500 to about 3,500 employees.
CYVN Holdings, owned by the Abu Dhabi government, bought McLaren’s automotive unit in 2025 and pledged $2 billion over five years.
Chief creative officer David Woodhouse, formerly of Nissan and Ford, will lead the product-strategy overhaul.

1 / 2