McLaren wants to sell (then rent) their gorgeous HQ
Want to be the new owner of the McLaren headquarters?
by Jose AltoverosMcLaren's Headquarters in England is possibly one of the most beautiful automotive facilities in the world.
And now, you can own it.
Yes, sadly, the supercar manufacturer and Formula One constructor has just listed its HQ located at Woking up for sale.
Even though McLaren may be doing very well in Formula 1, the same can’t be said about the company’s financial situation. The British marque has announced that their beautiful Woking headquarters has just been put up for sale for GBP 200 million (PhP 12.4 billion).
McLaren’s plan to sell its headquarters is part of the company’s latest attempts to raise additional funding and ensure the continuation of business operations even amidst the pandemic forcing a slump in sales. For reference, McLaren’s headquarters is comprised of 84 hectares of landscaped grounds and includes the iconic McLaren Technology Center featuring an artificial lake, the McLaren Production Center, and the McLaren Thought Leadership Center.
Don’t worry though, McLaren says they don't want to actually go anywhere even if their beautiful headquarters are sold. The company plans to immediately lease back the property from the new buyer. Effectively, this will turn them from owners to tenants of the highly specialized location. Subsequently, the company said the potential change in ownership will not have any effect on McLaren’s day-to-day operations.
“The potential sale and leaseback of our global headquarters and the appointment of banks to advise us on a debt refinancing and equity raise are part of the comprehensive refinancing strategy that we announced earlier this year. Building on the shorter-term measures that we put in place over the summer, these initiatives will deliver a stronger balance sheet and ensure that McLaren Group has a sustainable platform for long-term growth and investment,” said a spokesperson for McLaren Group.
If you happen to have a spare PhP 12.4 billion lying around and is in the market for real estate, why not buy one of the most beautiful automotive headquarters in the world? You can either rent it off to McLaren, or you can live out your Bond villain dream.