After years of relying on various alphanumeric combinations for its fleet's model names, McLaren finally made a switch to using a real name with the arrival of the Senna in 2018. This trend has continued with cars like the Elva and Speedtail, and soon the Artura, and it looks like there's no plan to go back to alphanumeric names anytime soon.
CarBuzz has discovered new trademark filings made by McLaren with the U.K.'s Intellectual Property Office. The names include Aeron, Aonic, and Solus, and were filed on October 7, 2021, under class 12 for motor land vehicles or cars, parts, and accessories.
Automakers often file trademark applications for names they don't necessarily plan to use. Sometimes it's just a case of protecting the name from a rival using it. However, it's hard to imagine another car company independently coming up with the same names.
Should the names end up on future McLarens, what might be looking at? A P1 successor is due around the middle of the decade, and by that time we're also likely to see a successor to the 720S. There's also any number of one-off cars from the MSO division that could end up with the names. There's also the possibility that McLaren could use the names for its new planned efforts in IndyCar or Extreme E.
The name Solus, sometimes used in stage direction, means “alone or unaccompanied,” thus making it a fitting name for something like a one-off car. Aeron meanwhile was a name used by some early Britons for a god of war or battle, which would be fitting for a P1 successor. Artura is also a name with roots from early Britons, meaning “noble.” As for Aonic, your guess is as good as ours.
