Legacy Revived: McLaren’s Original M6 GT Reimagined by Company's Special Operations

Most motor enthusiasts typically presume the McLaren F1 to be the brand’s pioneer road-legal car. However, before F1 came into the picture, Bruce McLaren, the company’s founder, had envisioned the M6 GT. This venture was aimed at transforming a race vehicle into a road-legal sports car. Perhaps the reality could have been different if destiny had not played its part in limiting the M6 GT’s production to only three models. One of these prototypes was retained by Bruce McLaren himself. But now, thanks to McLaren Special Operations (MSO), one of those three originals is gloriously restored and brought back to life.

At a tender age, Bruce McLaren developed a fondness for automobiles. He bought a 1929 Austin 7 Ulster and restored it alongside his father. This initial thrill fueled his enduring enthusiasm for car racing. His talent eventually led him to the European continent under the Driver to Europe scholarship programme. Further, Bruce McLaren earned a seat in the Cooper team, netting his first Grand Prix victory.

His journey took a different trajectory when Bruce McLaren Motor Racing was founded in 1963. This shift was driven by a strong desire to build his own racing cars. By 1966, McLaren introduced his very own car, the M2B, to the championship. This move marked the start of McLaren’s legacy in the Grand Prix circuit, with the racing team clinching their first-ever Grand Prix in two years’ time. Tragically, McLaren could not witness the ascend to fame of his own racing team as he met an untimely death during a test in 1970.

The love for racing saw Bruce McLaren venturing into numerous forms of it, with the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (CanAm) being one of the most notable among them. This arena sparked the wildest racing cars ever constructed, with the M6 GT drawing its inspiration from here. After decades, McLaren Special Operations revives the road-legal sports car saga by restoring one of the original M6 GTs in all its grandeur. This reinstatement of a forgotten chapter from automotive history is a testament to the enduring spirit of auto-racing and its celebrated past.