McLaren Pioneers 3D-Printed Suspension for Ultimate Durability & Aero

Miami Herald

09-07-2025

McLaren has partnered with California-based industrial digital manufacturing company Divergent Technologies to develop a series of 3D-printed suspension components for its upcoming W1 supercar. The new McLaren W1 features a Formula 1-inspired front suspension mounted directly into the vehicle's Aerocell monocoque and a central chassis made from carbon fiber. Divergent's 3D printing technology has helped McLaren develop efficient and intricate suspension systems, optimizing durability and stiffness. These suspension systems include the front upper wishbone, aeroform lower wishbone, and front upright, with externally visible front wishbones playing a key role in managing airflow and enhancing suspension strength.
"The Divergent Adaptive Production System, or DAPS as we call it, is a fully digital design agnostic production system that allows the user to optimize any design for any vehicle without any changeover in tooling or design-specific fixturing," said Cooper Keller, Divergent's Chief Programs and Operational Officer.
Will Tabbah, Principal Chassis Engineer at McLaren, described the W1 as "all about aerodynamics" when discussing the car's Formula 1-derived approach. McLaren needed Divergent to integrate its Formula 1-inspired suspension system into its carbon fiber monocoque cell. Divergent's laser powder bed fusion 3D printing process begins with powdered metals, high-powered lasers, and precision optics, which weld the powder layer by layer into complex structures.
Automakers have traditionally used 3D printing for prototypes or aesthetic components, but Divergent uses 3D printing with artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and robotics for production-ready structures. Keller noted that Divergent's lower wishbone for the W1 was the first time it integrated an aero profile into the structure, while emphasizing lightness. Removing a single gram was likely to compromise the entire part's performance or integrity. Divergent formed these components with its computer algorithm after receiving McLaren's requirements, which included a design space, keep-out zones, the part's stiffness, and load cases it had to sustain. McLaren underwent multiple iterations of component development, which was easily adapted to by Divergent, thanks to its software handling the heavy lifting.
Keller said he wants Divergent's partnership with McLaren to extend beyond suspension components, covering cars from bumper to bumper and corner to corner. The McLaren W1 was introduced to commemorate the automaker's 50th anniversary of its first Formula 1 championship win. It features a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine paired with a hybrid system, producing 1,257 horsepower and boasting a top speed of 217 mph. McLaren will debut the $2.1 million W1 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is occurring this weekend. The automaker is limiting its W1 production to 399 models, with each unit already sold.
With help from Divergent, the McLaren W1's front upper wishbone, aeroform lower wishbone, and front upright strike an ideal balance between weight, strength, durability, and aerodynamics. The adaptability of Divergent's software helped facilitate McLaren's ability to create a car that's Formula 1 for the road while pushing the industry toward newer manufacturing techniques. More automakers may soon follow McLaren and Divergent's lead in streamlining production with 3D-printed parts, which offer greater flexibility through rapid testing and refinement.
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