McLaren is set to reveal an authentic, M6GT, restored by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), that brings founder Bruce McLaren’s original road‑car ambition to life at Goodwood Festival of Speed.
In Brief
- M6GT: One‑off, MSO‑built restoration of Bruce McLaren’s original road car vision will make its first public appearance at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed
- From archive to atelier: Rebuilt using historic drawings and original moulds to preserve McLaren’s founding spirit
- An exploration of heritage: The restoration forms the genesis of McLaren’s heritage collection at MSO
- The past informs the future: The McLaren House at Goodwood links Bruce McLaren’s vision – uniting racing and road – to today’s portfolio
Produced using original body moulds and authentic reference materials held in McLaren’s archives, the M6GT is a celebration of heritage that connects McLaren’s racing origins with the company’s road car accomplishments.
MSO constructed the car from the ground up, combining restored components and freshly engineered one-offs to remain faithful to Bruce’s intent; paint, finishes and many details were revisited and re‑engineered from original materials and photographs to preserve authenticity.
“The M6GT: Restored by MSO has been a labour of craft and care for the team and served as both a technical education and a living reminder of Bruce’s ambition to take McLaren beyond the racetrack. This car occupies a unique place in our collection – a tribute to the very beginnings of the company and a spiritual education for its future.”
Jon Simms,
Director of MSO
To ensure ultimate authenticity, the M6GT: Restored by MSO uses a period-correct engine and gearbox, and the small-block V8 is fitted with ‘camel hump’ cylinder heads in line with the original specification.
Design and heritage
Design Inspiration
The M6GT is the first expression of Bruce McLaren’s road‑car ambitions and draws directly from the M6A racing programme – aerodynamic endurance racing cues, lightweight engineering and race‑derived proportions inform its design. The M6GT is the genesis of the McLaren road car story and Bruce McLaren used the first prototype as his own personal transport to attend meetings and racing events . It was another 25 years before his vision for a production customer vehicle with a highly tuned engine, butterfly doors and aerodynamic silhouette was realised in the iconic shape of the McLaren F1, but those early principles continue to shape the brand today.
Craft and construction
Every element of the M6GT build was treated as an act of custodianship. The chassis is from a period-built M6A racer, verified against historic McLaren reference vehicles, in-keeping with the original vision.
The bodywork was recreated using original moulds uncovered in the UK. Examination revealed evidence of historical modification within the moulds themselves – a quiet record of the design’s evolution during the original programme – allowing MSO to preserve the evolution of the form.
At the centre of the car sits the original 1970s M6GT race car-derived cockpit, which serves as the emotional and physical heart of the build. Around it, hidden structural elements were hand-fabricated by MSO specialists, including the roll hoop, rear frame support structure, internal clam reinforcement and wiring harness– each created with the same care as the visible surfaces.
The suspension is original M6GT hardware, meticulously restored and rebuilt. Many of its components required the sourcing of imperial-era bearings, specified to standards that are no longer in regular production.
Even the smallest fasteners were treated with reverence. Original-style closed aluminium dome rivets were used throughout, installed by skilled craftsman from the aerospace industry.
Inside, the cabin balances restraint with intimacy. The gear knob is a hand-turned solid walnut component, created as a bespoke piece of craftsmanship to authentically match the original design, while the seats are trimmed in custom vinyl with stitched heat-seam detailing in a matching green tone – a subtle nod to McLaren’s racing heritage.
Scans of the windscreen shape were sent to a specialist supplier in order to recreate the unique profile of the M6GT’s bespoke design.
‘Colnbrook’ White
The one-off recommission is finished in a bespoke cream-based white colour, named Colnbrook in homage to the factory where Bruce developed his road car thinking. It was located under the flightpath to ‘London Airport’, later Heathrow Airport, as Bruce wanted to be near his day job without losing a minute when jetting off to races around the world. The Colnbrook white exterior and green interior colour scheme is inspired by the livery of Bruce’s first McLaren Formula 1 car (the 1966 M2B), which was finished in white with a green stripe, as a personal signature from founder to machine.