McLaren F1 Designer Criticizes Modern Cars and Their Direction

Why the creator of the McLaren F1 thinks modern cars are losing what makes them great

Gordon Murray, the man behind the legendary McLaren F1, has some strong opinions about modern cars. And when he speaks, people in the car world listen. He has spent over 60 years designing cars that are light, practical, and fun to drive. According to him, today’s cars are moving in the wrong direction.

In a recent interview, Murray said that cars are getting bigger, heavier, and more complicated. But all that extra size and weight does not make them better. Instead, it often makes them less enjoyable to drive. He explained that car companies now focus more on looks, features, and marketing rather than smart engineering.

He gave the Volkswagen Golf as an example. The first Golf was small and light, weighing less than 900 kg. Today’s Golf is much bigger and almost 50 percent heavier. In his opinion, that extra size has not improved the car. It just made it less simple and less fun.

Murray cares more about smart design and clever use of space. He loves cars that solve real problems without being unnecessarily large. One example is the original Renault Espace. It offered three rows of seating and plenty of space, but it was still light and practical. He also likes everyday cars he has owned, like the Renault Kangoo and the first Mercedes A-Class. These cars were not flashy or fast. They were useful, well-designed, and thoughtful.

He also thinks car companies have shifted power away from engineers to marketing and finance teams. This, he says, has led to cars that look good on paper but do not feel right on the road. Some brands, like Mazda, still care about keeping cars light. But overall, Murray believes the industry needs to go back to basics.

For him, the future of cars is not about being bigger or louder. It is about building cars that are light, smart, and fun to drive every day.