McLaren teams up with BBC Blue Peter to launch ‘Supercar of the Future’ competition for children

Supercar maker McLaren Automotive has teamed up with the BBC Blue Peter to launch a unique competition asking young viewers to design their ‘Supercar of the Future’. The competition is open to children living in the UK between the ages of 6 and 15 years old and has been created to demonstrate the use of science, engineering and design skills in an exciting real-world environment.

The winner will have the opportunity to meet with McLaren’s leading designers and engineers (once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted) and see their winning design brought to life as a 3D scale model to be unveiled on Blue Peter. They will also win an incredible ride in a McLaren supercar with celebrity driver The Stig.

The prize includes a VIP tour of the world-famous McLaren Technology Centre and McLaren Production Centre to see how real supercars are designed and made. The winner will also be awarded the coveted orange Blue Peter competition badge!

Lighter vehicles are able to deliver better performance and be more energy efficient which is why entrants to the competition are asked to consider how their car is powered, its impact on the environment and to describe what materials it is made from. They are also asked to choose one outstanding feature of their design and explain why they are proud of it.

Blue Peter has provided entrants with some top tips when creating their design:

Be creative:
Your car should look stylish but also be practical. Think about the shape and weight of your car to make sure it is super-efficient on the track. You might want to research into the elements that make up a car (e.g. mirrors, wheels, exhaust, lights) to spark some ideas for how to make them even better!

Make your car futuristic:
What powers your car? What kind of impact will it have on the environment and how you would generate that energy source? How might it be charged? Are there any other features that could be thought about, like an AI system or sensors? Might it travel in the air, on water, on sand/mud or all of them?

Be unique:
And finally, this is your Supercar – so we want to see one outstanding feature on it that makes you proud to have designed it. What makes your idea really unique?

More information on the competition and full terms and conditions can be found on the Blue Peter website. The competition closes on Wednesday June 10.