McLaren is drawing deeper on its New Zealand roots, filing trademarks for “Remuera” and “Muriwai” shortly after unveiling a new wordmark inspired by the sign at the McLaren family garage where Bruce McLaren worked on cars as a young man.
McLaren Files Remuera and Muriwai Trademarks
McLaren filed applications for two trademarks in the United Kingdom and European Union on September 22, 2026. One is for “Remuera,” the hometown of Bruce McLaren, located just outside Auckland.
Remuera had a population of 27,810 as of 2025 and was also the location of the McLaren family garage. The garage provided Bruce McLaren with a place to work on cars, and he worked on his first racing machines there as a teenager.
The second trademark application covers “Muriwai,” a name associated with a beach and coastal community. Bruce McLaren entered the Muriwai Beach hillclimb in 1952 at age 15, marking his competitive racing debut.
He drove an Austin Ulster that had been tuned in the family garage. Muriwai held such significance for Bruce McLaren that he named his home in England after the site. McLaren has also retained the Austin Ulster and displayed it at the company’s Technology Centre.
Bruce McLaren’s New Zealand Racing Roots
Bruce McLaren’s racing career was brilliant but brief. He recorded four Formula One Grand Prix victories and won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans overall while driving a Ford GT40 with Chris Amon.
McLaren died at age 32 on June 2, 1970, while testing a McLaren M8D Can-Am race car.
Could McLaren Move Beyond Alphanumeric Names?
If McLaren ultimately uses Remuera and Muriwai for vehicles, the move would represent a significant change from the automaker’s established naming approach.
McLaren has largely relied on alphanumeric model names, including the 720S and 650S. There have been exceptions, including the current Artura and the earlier Senna and Speedtail.
McLaren’s New Wordmark Connects Past and Future
The trademark filings arrived almost simultaneously with McLaren’s unveiling of its new wordmark. The design features bold, uppercase letters with a smaller, underlined “C.”
McLaren said the new logo is intended to reflect the automaker’s journey. Drawing inspiration from the sign at the family garage connects the company’s pre-history with what comes next.
McLaren is not abandoning its existing visual identity, however. The automaker said it will continue using its Speedmark symbol with a rounded arrow shape, Papaya orange paint and the Speedy Kiwi logo.
