McLaren has unveiled a new brand identity. This redesign applies to both McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive. The key change is a new wordmark inspired by the sign of founder Bruce McLaren's family workshop.

The workshop was located in Lemuera, Auckland, New Zealand, where Bruce McLaren built his first racing car. The new wordmark was redesigned based on the form of the signage from that time. It uses a lighter sans-serif structure than the previous one and places a horizontal line below the 'C'. A dedicated typeface, 'McLaren Sans', was also developed.

The Speedmark and Speedy Kiwi remain. The color scheme, centered around Papaya Orange and consisting of Amber, Midnight, Black, Anthracite, Silver, and White, has also been expanded. McLaren explained that it has consolidated historical elements scattered across its racing and automotive businesses into a single brand system.

However, fan reactions were mixed following the unveiling. Some fans pointed out that the new wordmark weakens the sense of speed and aggressiveness of the existing logo, making it look more like a fashion or luxury clothing brand than an automotive brand. There were also opinions that the change is not easily noticeable in environments where the line under the 'C' appears small. On online communities, there was a continued response stating that the existing logo is easier to remember and read from a distance.

Conversely, there is also a positive perspective that views this change as a modern restoration of the traditional repair shop signage. The core of the controversy lies not in the perfection of the new logo, but in how effectively its historical significance is conveyed while maintaining the racing brand's impression of speed and mechanical sophistication. The new identity is scheduled to be applied sequentially to vehicles, apparel, and digital content.

See more and sources

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/2026/mclaren-announces-evolved-identity