Why has the McLaren logo changed?

The McLaren logo has changed to go back to its roots: the new wordmark, unveiled in September 2026, is inspired by the sign above the service station Bruce McLaren's parents ran in Auckland, and it keeps the Speedmark and the papaya orange everyone recognises.

I think it's one of the smartest rebrands I've seen this year. Here's why, and what a business that doesn't build supercars can learn from it.

Where does the new McLaren logo come from?

The new wordmark comes from the sign above Les and Ruth McLaren's service station in Remuera, Auckland. That's where Bruce McLaren built the car that won him his first race. The building, from 1926, is still standing.

It's the brand's biggest logo change since 1997, when the Speedmark appeared. And the interesting part is how they did it: the McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive teams started by going through the brand's archives together, looking for symbols and stories they already had. They didn't invent a new story. They recovered their own.

What stays in McLaren's new identity?

McLaren hasn't erased anything people already recognise. The Speedmark is still part of the identity and papaya is still the racing colour. What it does is add: the new wordmark takes the lead, and there's an expanded palette with colours like Ember, Midnight, Anthracite, Colnbrook and Mist, all taken from a single photo of Bruce McLaren sitting on the tyre of his single-seater.

Midnight blue will be the signature of the road cars; papaya, of racing. One brand with two accents, both with the same origin.

Why does a rebrand that goes back to its roots work?

Because the trust you've already earned doesn't get thrown away. Not long ago, Jaguar did the opposite: it broke with almost everything people associated with the brand, and the change caused huge controversy. McLaren has taken the opposite route: refreshing how it looks without changing who it is.

When a brand changes without explaining where the change comes from, its audience feels they've lost something. When the change comes from its own story, they feel they finally understand it.

What can your business learn from McLaren's rebrand?

First: before redesigning, look at what you already have. Your story, your customers, what people already recognise about you. The answer is usually there.

Second: don't erase what works. If your customers recognise a colour or a symbol, keep it, even if you change everything else.

Third: make sure the change has a reason you can tell. "We're going back to the sign above the service station where it all began" makes sense in one sentence.

It's what we did with Kamel, a dermocosmetics brand founded in 1932: before touching the logo, we researched its history, and the rebrand came from there.

Related questions

Has McLaren dropped the Speedmark?

No. The Speedmark, the symbol it has used since 1997, is still part of the identity. The new wordmark becomes the main element.

What colours are in McLaren's new identity?

Papaya stays, joined by Ember, Midnight, Black, Anthracite, Colnbrook and Mist, inspired by a photo of Bruce McLaren.

Can you change your logo without losing customers?

Yes, if the change keeps what people already recognise and comes from the brand's own story. That's the difference between a rebrand that adds and one that takes away.