What do McLaren's designers and engineers really drive?

McLaren staff reveal their automotive passions

The James Bond-esque factory in Woking, Surrey, that houses the McLaren racing and automotive teams is known across the world for the supercars and top-level racers it produces.

But often more fascinating are the people who develop and build these machines, and in September 2022, the second Cars and Coffee event at the Norman Foster-designed building was an opportunity to celebrate these talents and share their passions.

It was a superbly eclectic turnout, with around 60 vehicles coming and going across the day.

Here are just a few of their stories.

1. 1964 Fiat 500D

Jono Brookes
Director of F1 build, McLaren Racing

This classic ended up being a 40th-birthday present to himself, but Jono Brookes has always been interested in the model.

“It’s a simple, original city car,” he enthuses, “I just love them. I drove my missus mad for about two years, looking every night for one to buy.”

Indeed, the lead to this car, one of three imported from Italy by its previous owner, came from his long-suffering other half.

“I’ve had it about six years and it was in very good nick,” he says, “so I’ve had to do little to it. It’s been well looked after and I’m pleased to say it has lived up to my dream.”

1964 Fiat 500D (cont.)

“I don’t use it as much as I should, because work gets in the way, so it doesn’t do many miles,” Jono explains.

“A few years ago we took part in the 500’s 60th-anniversary celebration at the Goodwood Revival, which has been the highlight so far.

“It’s for local trips around London where we live because, after all, it is a city car.  When we’re out in it, onlookers always stop, take pictures and wave.

“It just puts a smile on people’s faces – and on ours.”

2. 1972 Alpine A110 1600S

Neil Oatley
Motorsport research director, McLaren Racing

For five years, this Alpine has shared garage space with Neil Oatley’s Lancia Fulvia, but while the Italian half of this rally-themed duo is campaigned, that’s not on the cards for the A110 – yet it hasn’t always been that way.

“It was sold directly to Italy, then moved to Greece and did some rallying when new, but now it’s almost too valuable for that,” says Neil.

1972 Alpine A110 1600S (cont.)

“This one is really just about as it would’ve been in period,” he continues. “It was a dream purchase. It’s a car I’ve liked since I was a schoolkid.

“I’ve always loved racing, but I got more interested in rallying at the time when this was one of the stars, as was the Fulvia.

“And it had to be this colour – in part because it matches my new one.”

3. 1969 Opel GT

Kirsty Allan
Development technician – motorsport, McLaren Automotive

“It is everything to me. Work means I travel a lot, but when weather permits and when I am home for long enough, I drive it as much as I can.”

For Kirsty Allan, her Opel GT is so much more than mere metal. Her dad owned one, which she grew up restoring with him.

Indeed, it was destined to be hers when she turned 21, but before that it was involved in a road accident with her father at the wheel; tragically, it claimed his life and the car was written off.

“I was always going to get another, and my conditions were that it had to be the same colour and year as Dad’s,” she explains.

1969 Opel GT (cont.)

“It took four years to find, and as soon as I saw the GT it just brought back the love for the car I’d lost,” continues Kirsty.

“It means the absolute world to me. It’s my pride and joy, and the sentimental value is off the scale. It stirs so many memories, I could never replace it.”

Other than revamping the brakes, she hasn’t had to do too much but delights in the fact that there are jobs to do: “Classics throw something new at you every other day, so it keeps me on my toes.”

4. 1997 Maserati Ghibli Cup

Nick Tallis
Principal engineer – MSO underbody, McLaren Automotive

“As far as I know, they made 60 worldwide and only 19 in right-hand drive, so it’s pretty rare,” says Nick Tallis of his Ghibli Cup.

It’s a car he loves, loaded with emotional attachment, having bought it 19 years ago with money left to him by his mother.

It was his uncle who sparked his love for Maserati, and this car used to be the UK press demonstrator. “It’d had a hard life – a lot of journalists had abused it and had lots of fun,” he smiles.

1997 Maserati Ghibli Cup (cont.)

“It was starting to get a bit tatty when I got it,” continues Nick.

“I spend a lot of time fiddling with it that I should be spending with the family – my wife’s amazing, she’s very supportive.”

The car is driven when Nick wants a bit of fun, although he concedes that, in the wet, the handling is “akin to a bar of soap”.

And, given that he’s already promised it to his son, this cherished classic is definitely a keeper: “I just think it’s a really great, understated, subtle shape. And I’m weird, you know – it has its weirdness, like its owner!”

5. 1996 Eunos Roadster VR Limited

Elizabeth Grant
Design engineer – concept, McLaren Automotive

“I’ve had it about a year now and think it is only one of 600,” says Elizabeth Grant of her striking Mazda.

“I had an MX-5 as my first car in New Zealand, but when I moved over, I sold it. I really enjoy them, they’re so much fun.

“This is a limited-edition, Japanese-market model – not that I knew that when I first saw it. I just loved the unusual colour.

“Ironically, it was first imported to New Zealand, to the same city I’m from, then sent to the UK, which is quite funny. It was probably meant to be.”

1996 Eunos Roadster VR Limited (cont.)

This is another car that’s unlikely to be sold any time soon: “I’m planning on fully restoring it, once I get a garage,” says Elizabeth.

“Like most MX-5s it needs the rust doing at some point. Currently it only gets driven in summer, though.

“I am lucky, too. When I bought my first, I think in 2018, they were so cheap and easy to find, although finding a rust-free one was a challenge.

“But in a few years the prices have skyrocketed.”

6. 1988 Renault Super 5

Samuel Logan
Senior design engineer, McLaren Automotive

“I’ve liked them since I was a kid,” explains Samuel Logan, “the shape of the car and the racing heritage.

“When my old Audi gave up, I needed something economical to get to work in, but that was also interesting, and I found this – there are not many of them about.”

Samuel only bought his R5 in July, from an owner who seldom used it: “In the previous year it had done two miles!

“She really loved it and didn’t want to get rid of it, and kept it covered in the garage.”

1988 Renault Super 5 (cont.)

Samuel has since done some recommissioning work to create a safe, reliable commuter: “It’s done just over 50,000 miles – I’ve done nearly a thousand in it already.”

“I want to get the rust addressed next,” he continues. “The window on the left side is starting to go, too, so that’s something that will need doing.

“I think other than that I’ll just keep it as standard, drive it and enjoy it.

“I like the fact that it’s poverty-spec, it’s part of the charm. I’ve been surprised by the number of positive comments today.”

7. 1990 Peugeot 309 GTI

Jonathan Harris
Visualisation and alias designer, McLaren Automotive

“It’s just a bit of fun, really. I love to drive it and it loves to be revved,” enthuses Jonathan Harris of his Peugeot 309 GTI.

Finding one took some time, however, because when he bought it, seven and a half years ago, people had either been enjoying them a bit too much or using them to modify their 205 GTIs.

“Every time I fill it up, someone comes out the woodwork and is like, ‘I used to have a mate who wrote one of these off,’” he adds with a smile.

1990 Peugeot 309 GTI (cont.)

“I bought it at a time when I thought I was going to lose my mum and wanted the nostalgia, and while 205 prices were bonkers, I liked the rogue aspect of the 309,” Jonathan explains.

“You don’t see many. I like the ’90s boxy looks and I fell in love with it.”

Jonathan says it’s in good condition, but he has done some work to it: “You never quite know what’s going to fall off or break. It used to drive me mad. But you get smiles from it and it puts a smile on my face.”

8. 1971 Datsun 240Z

Esteban Palazzo
Principal engineer, McLaren Automotive

Esteban Palazzo describes the acquisition of this 240Z, three years ago, as “an online dating dream come true”.

It was bought blind from Ohio, USA, via eBay, with the seller rather in awe of the fact that Esteban designed another car in his stable: the McLaren 675LT.

So why the Datsun? “I work in the design studio,” he explains. “For me, proportions are the most important thing. Proportion is king, and in those terms it is my favourite car.”

1971 Datsun 240Z (cont.)

Esteban concedes that it is tatty, but is relishing the challenge of restoration: “It is a life project for me. I’m learning about the mechanicals, which for a designer is a rarity, and colleagues have helped me.

“I call the car my therapist: I go down to the garage a few times a week and do a little bit, but it’s even better when friends join me – we get pizza and fix things.”

In Esteban’s words, the propshaft went “see you later” the day before a planned road trip to the 2022 Le Mans Classic, but he’s not fazed: “I look forward to doing all the work. Every problem is an opportunity to learn."

9. 1990 Rover Mini ‘Studio 3’

Elliott Cook
Senior design engineer – chassis system, McLaren Automotive

“I’ve owned it around 10 years,” says Elliott Cook.

“It was my first car, I learnt to drive in it, I went to college every day in it, then university – but then the rust took over.

“So four years ago I took it off the road, rented a garage and set about restoring it.

“Almost every exterior panel apart from the roof has been replaced, I pretty much learnt to weld on it and learnt how to do panelwork, which is a different art altogether.

"The only thing I couldn’t do or that wasn’t up to my standards was the paintjob.”

1990 Rover Mini ‘Studio 3’ (cont.)

It has his signature, too: “This was a limited-edition Studio 2, but I think it’s one better so it’s now a Studio 3 – I’ve put a cheeky reminder of that on the side.

“I’ve re-engineered it to be a bit more practical and I’ve supercharged the 998cc engine. It should put out 100bhp, but it’s still running in – I only finished it and got an MoT last Monday!”

Time to sit back and enjoy it now? No way: “I have a Mk1 that’s been off the road since 1980. That will be totally standard. When I want to go really slow, I’ll go in that; when I want to go sort-of slow, I’ll take this!”

10. 1966 Ford Falcon

Jason Savory
Principal engineer – powertrain electronics, McLaren Automotive

A stint working in Australia led Jason Savory to this fabulous Falcon: “I was there for four years and wanted to buy a secondhand car.

“We saw this on the side of the road; it had just been restored and it became my daily driver.”

And so much more besides, taking the family around Tasmania, on a road run to Sydney and on camping trips: “You can fold the seats back and sleep in it, which we did.”

1966 Ford Falcon (cont.)

When the family returned to the UK in 2003, Jason couldn’t bear to be parted from the Ford, giving him a nerve-wracking, six-week wait while it was shipped across the world.

Always ready for days out and drive-in movies, with the bench front seat helping everyone to get comfy, this three-speed, column-shift car is part of the family: “My son’s middle name is Falcon, which he thinks is because of the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars, but it was actually because of the wagon!”

11. 1992 Marcos Mantula

Joe Green
Launch team member, McLaren Automotive

This Marcos Mantula was in part bought precisely because it’s unusual. “It was a family project," explains owner Joe Green. "We were looking to take something on and this was a bit different – at the time we hadn’t heard of them.

“It started off as a bit of an unloved thing that my dad bought from a friend, and we’ve done a full body-off restoration.

“It’s had the engine out, been resprayed and had the chassis rewelded because, being old British sports cars, they have a nasty habit of deciding to return to their constituent components."

1992 Marcos Mantula (cont.)

“We put it all back together and use it whenever the weather is dry,” he continues. Not that things are ever that simple. “You never own a project car,” says Joe, “a project car owns you."

It is loved and well-used, too, having completed a Le Mans road trip this year.

“No matter what my father says, it is a keeper,” laughs Joe. “And no matter what my brother says, which is to tell my father to do something with it, it is definitely a keeper.”

12. 1986 BMW 325i

Jasmine Virdy
People experience lead, McLaren Automotive

It’s rather obvious why ‘Bumblee’, as the family calls it, stood out at the MTC.

“It’s very much a family car,” Jasmine Virdy explains. “My husband has had it since he was 14. It was a bribe to do well in his GCSEs!

“It has been a project car for a very long time. We got married, we had kids, then eventually we decided we wanted to get it ready.”

1986 BMW 325i (cont.)

Now finished and with air-ride suspension, among other modifications, it shares garage space with another E30 3 Series and an E21.

“We’ve got one for each child,” she smiles, “which was my husband’s logic for getting the cars.”

And it seems the next generation has been inspired: “The kids always say, ‘Mummy, don’t bring your car, it’s too modern!’ And they love coming to car shows with us.”