McLaren McL 6GT revives the M6GT with a manual gearbox

If your McLaren knowledge extends further than ‘F1’, you may recall founder Bruce McLaren’s journey with the beautiful M6GT. Much like the Koenigsegg we featured recently, it was designed to challenge the sportscar establishment, only to be cancelled at the eleventh hour. Bruce did, however, go as far as creating a road car.

McLaren McL 6GT revives the M6GT spirit

Now, New McLaren is reconnecting with that history. Named the McL 6GT, it represents a fresh kind of supercar, with a version that you – though perhaps not all of you – will be able to buy in 2028.

It will also be McLaren’s first car with a genuine manual gearbox since the F1 supercar mentioned above. Details remain scarce, but we know it pairs that transmission with a V8, sends power to the rear wheels and wraps it all in a lightweight carbon-fibre body.

In other words, it is very much a McLaren. “The McLaren McL 6GT imagines what our inspirational founder had wished to complete but with six additional decades of innovation and passion woven through every element, creating a modern icon of driver connection,” said McLaren boss Nick Collins.

Manual gearbox and analogue McLaren driving

We will return to its appearance shortly – and you will surely have views on that – but the driving experience comes first. McLaren is promising a more analogue approach: “Every shift, throttle movement and steering input is intended to feel deliberate, physical, and rewarding, connecting the driver to the machine,” it said.

“This mechanical character extends beyond the drivetrain. Hydraulic steering, tactile switchgear, and visible engineering details all contribute to a sense of purity of involvement for the driver.”

Naturally for a McLaren, the technical details are wonderfully nerdy. The gearshift, for instance, has been developed for “maximum feel and throw”, and even incorporates a 3D ‘Speedy Kiwi’. Remember, Bruce was from New Zealand.

M6GT-inspired styling and 2028 production plans

Then there is the styling. It certainly looks unlike any current McLaren. The classic M6GT clearly influences its shape, although it appears more doe-eyed than its stablemates. It sits low and wide, has a Kamm tail and, naturally, has been refined for low-drag aerodynamics.

The interior close-ups – frustratingly, there is no broad image of the complete cabin – suggest it looks suitably serious. Features include digital instruments, ‘boxed quilting’ and the like.

As noted, a production version is due in 2028, although McLaren also said it “lays the foundation for a newly positioned and highly exclusive type of McLaren supercar beyond the core and expanded portfolio”. Make of that what you will.

Still cannot remember the M6GT? TopGear.com drove one in the US some time ago. Here is how we found it…