Media Information EMBARGOED: 10:14.BST, 14 April 2010

McLAREN AUTOMOTIVE SELECTS BAHRAIN AS HOME FOR REGIONAL HEAD OFFICE

Manama considered the ideal choice for Middle East base

McLaren Automotive announced today the establishment of its regional head office in Bahrain. All distributor-side management, marketing and support functions for the premium high- performance sports car manufacturer will be managed from its new Manama office. The British car company, which was officially launched in March, will begin sales in 2011 with its first ‘pure’ McLaren, the MP4-12C.

With only a few weeks to go before the company announces its first dealerships in the region, Ian Gorsuch, McLaren Automotive’s Regional Director for Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific said the company had chosen the kingdom for its regional office for a number of strong reasons.

“With a Formula 1 racetrack, an excellent business environment and its close proximity to one of our major shareholders, Manama was the obvious location for our regional head office ,” said Gorsuch.

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir has hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix for the past seven years and has excellent facilities for performance testing and hosting events. Last year, McLaren Automotive subjected a 12C prototype to extreme hot-weather testing in the heat, dust and humidity of the Gulf summer. Testing was conducted at the BIC as well as on the country’s desert roads.

Also, the competitive cost and ease of setting up in the kingdom, in addition to the attractive lifestyle offered by Bahrain, were major factors in deciding on establishing the office in the kingdom. On the whole, it was felt that the Bahraini commerical environment was very conducive to doing business on the island.

And with Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (“Mumtalakat”), the investment company for Bahrain, having a 42 per cent stake in McLaren Group as well as a 50 per cent stake in McLaren Automotive, the kingdom is considered a home away from home by the company. As such it made good business sense to be based nearby to maintain close contact between the two partners.

“This is a very positive decision by McLaren Automotive,” said Gorsuch. “We have had close links to the island for some time through our partnership with Mumtalakat, and last year successfully conducted hot-weather testing for the forthcoming 12C here. And now we will be able to take further advantage of the number of excellent opportunities that come from establishing an office in Bahrain.”

McLaren Automotive has a rich heritage in producing premium sports cars for the road. The street-legal F1 model, which was launched in 1992, is still regarded as one of the best examples of supercar exotica. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, one of the fastest cars on the streets today, is also the most successful supercar ever in its price bracket, with over 2,000 cars sold since its 2003 launch. The McLaren MP4-12C is the first in a range of high performance sports cars from McLaren Automotive and represents ‘pure McLaren,’ from its unique engineering to its bespoke design where everything is for a reason. The 12C, and future models within the range, will challenge the world’s best sports cars, benefiting from the expertise and virtuosity of the McLaren Group. The 12C is set to re-write the rules of sports car design through Formula 1-inspired engineering, a revolutionary carbon fibre chassis, and an absolute focus on efficiency and quality.

The 12C is set to be built in the UK at the new McLaren Production Centre in . It will go on sale in Europe from spring 2011, followed soon after by the Middle East, where it will take up to 20 percent of the 1,000 12Cs built in its first year.

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McLaren Automotive has a rich and seamless heritage in producing premium sports cars for the road. The McLaren F1 road car, which was launched in 1992, set the world land speed record for a production car, and is regarded as one of the best examples of supercar exotica. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, one of the fastest cars on the streets, is also the most successful supercar ever in its price bracket.

In April 2009, McLaren Automotive was spun off from the McLaren Group as an independent company. It continues to be based at the McLaren Technology Centre in the UK. The company has confirmed that it is seeking retailers in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE as it builds towards the 2011 launch of the first in its new range of high-performance sports cars.

McLaren Automotive recently released details on its debut model, the MP4-12C. Drawing on the company’s long-standing Formula 1 experience, the stunning MP4-12C will challenge the very best sports cars on the market when it arrives in the Middle East.

Further information

Randa Kamal (Performance PR Middle East) Account Manager Mobile : +971 (0) 50 188 97 44 Phone : +971 (0) 4 4347365 E-mail : [email protected]

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