McLaren was originally established in 1963, but its first road car, the F1, wouldn’t emerge until the ‘90s. However, Bruce McLaren, the manufacturer’s legendary founder, envisioned a roadgoing McLaren much earlier than that. The M6GT, derived from McLaren’s M6A racing program, was the first iteration of the ambitions that Bruce McLaren had to create a road car. The prototype was the beginning of McLaren’s road supercar story, and Bruce used it as a personal transport to meetings and events. Still, it would be another 25 years before the F1 took shape, sporting butterfly doors, an aerodynamic silhouette, and formidable power.
Set to make its first public appearance at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is taking place this weekend, the McLaren M6GT has been restored by McLaren Special Operations, or MSO, bringing together painstaking craftsmanship with celebrated heritage and rich history. MSO constructed the M6GT from the ground up, making use of original body molds and reference materials from the manufacturer’s archives, and the restored M6GT helps McLaren tell the full story of its road car legacy, from an ambitious prototype to its celebrated supercars in the modern era.
Consistent with its original era, the restored M6GT uses a period-correct engine and gearbox, with “camel hump” cylinder heads used in its small-block V8 engine. Meanwhile, its design celebrates excellent craftsmanship and historical accuracy, with a walnut shift knob, custom vinyl seat trims, and a bespoke off-white paint color, called Colnbrook, after the factory where Bruce McLaren’s road car ideas were developed. The white-on-green color scheme is inspired by the livery of the 1966 M2B, Bruce McLaren’s first Formula One car.
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Alongside the one-off recreated M6GT, McLaren’s presence at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will include other masterpieces from throughout McLaren’s history, like the M8A, a late ‘60s Can Am race car, the Austin 7 Ulster from Bruce McLaren’s early racing days, the McLaren F1 GTR, the W1, the Artura, Artura Spider, and 750S. The MCL-HY will also debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year, previewing both McLaren’s top-class endurance racing ambitions for 2027 and the client track-only racing program that will cater to the MCL-HY GTR. A new McLaren supercar will also debut at the festival, giving its current supercar lineup a new pinnacle. With decades of heritage on display, McLaren’s presence at the Festival of Speed this year will be an ode to motorsport and automotive excellence.
Image Source: McLaren Automotive
