McLaren Automotive plans to break ground Friday on a 50,000 square-foot facility to process vehicles it imports through the Port of Baltimore, a significant expansion for the British manufacturer of ultra high-end racing and road cars.
The center is being built at Tradepoint Atlantic, a rapidly expanding hub for manufacturers and logistics companies on the site of Bethlehem Steel’s once-vast steelworks in southeastern Baltimore County.
“This new facility represents a bold next step in McLaren’s commitment to the U.S. market,” the company said in a news release. When completed late next year, about 20 workers will process vehicles as they arrive at the port and install accessories.
The Port of Baltimore is one of the nation’s biggest hubs for automotive imports and exports.
Named for founder Bruce McLaren, a Formula 1 racer from New Zealand, McLaren is a familiar name to fans of Formula 1 racing and high-performance street cars.
A 2025 McLaren Artura retails for $254,100-$278,800, depending on options, according to Car and Driver. The magazine’s review credits the hybrid “entry-level supercar” with “blazing acceleration” and “modern almost alien-inspired styling.”
Its V-6 powertrain generates 690 horsepower that reaches 60 miles per hour in 3 seconds with a top speed of 205 mph.
At the top of the model lineup is the 2026 McLaren W1 that starts at $2.1 million. It is, according to Car and Driver, a “hyper car” that is “born to break records, hearts and bank accounts.” A twin-turbo V-8 generates a horsepower of 1258.
CarGurus.com says the average price for a used McLaren is $368,000.
McLaren Automotive is headquartered in Surrey, England where the cars are hand-made, according to a news release. The company is owned by the Abu Dhabi-based CYVN Holdings, which completed its acquisition in April of this year that it says will clear the way for expansion.
The automaker’s U.S. headquarters is in Texas but all its vehicles come through Baltimore, so it was chosen as the site for the processing center.
The 3,300-acre Tradepoint Atlantic project built on land formerly occupied by the world’s largest iron and steel making complex. Beth Steel ceased operations in 2012. About 50 tenants employ 13,000 workers at Tradepoint, which touts its proximity to rail and shipping terminals among its selling points. A $1 billion container terminal is under construction there.
