HRH officially opens McLaren technology centre.

Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, today officially opened the McLaren Technology Centre, the new headquarters of the McLaren Group.

The McLaren Group is comprised of specialist, high technology companies each maximising the benefits of the global reputation that McLaren has established in the cutting edge technology sport of Formula One. The McLaren Group is a pioneer within British industry across a range of automotive fields. The official opening of the building coincides with first deliveries by McLaren Automotive, the Group's production sports car division, of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren super sportscar.

"The McLaren Group is honoured and privileged that Her Majesty The Queen has officially opened our new headquarters," said Ron Dennis CBE, CEO and chairman, McLaren Group. "The facility is a major functional tool to ensure that we remain at the forefront of British engineering and technology, whilst helping to strengthen and develop the McLaren brand. It will also act as an incentive to attract and retain the best engineering talent in the world and provide an impetus for the designers of the future. The opening of the McLaren Technology Centre will be a milestone in the history of the McLaren marque, and we are proud it has been recognised in this way."

The Royal Party was welcomed to the McLaren Technology Centre by the company's three main shareholders, Ron Dennis, J?rgen Schrempp, chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of DaimlerChrysler AG, and Mansour Ojjeh, president of TAG Group (Holdings) SA.

The Queen joined employees and guests of the McLaren Group for lunch before being taken by Ron Dennis on a tour of the world-leading facility, which has integrated most of the Group's 900 employees under one roof. The tour encompassed the area of the McLaren Technology Centre occupied by the Team McLaren Mercedes Formula One team, where Her Majesty was introduced to drivers David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen, before moving to McLaren Automotive where the Royal Party observed production of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

The McLaren Technology Centre is designed by renowned British architects Foster and Partners. Construction of the facility began in 1998 on the 50 hectare site just outside Woking in Surrey. The McLaren Technology Centre includes design studios, laboratories, research and testing capabilities, electronics development, machine shops and prototyping and production resources. There is also a separate Visitor and Learning centre which will open at a later date.