McLaren finally gave fans the one thing we’ve all been waiting for: a manual supercar. But while the debut of the McL 6GT during Monterey Car Week was well received, it isn't necessarily a blueprint for where the British supercar maker is headed.
Speaking to a group of journalists in Monterey, including Motor1, McLaren Chief Design Officer Kemal Curić made it clear that the McL 6GT will not dictate the brand's future design direction. He said:
'I will be very clear: [The McL 6GT] is not a preview of the future McLaren DNA. You might find some of the details, some of the learnings... in future McLarens.'
McLaren Reborn
The McL 6GT is essentially a modern interpretation of the M6GT, the road car Bruce McLaren developed in the late 1960s. Based on the M6A Can-Am race car, the original M6GT represented McLaren's founder's vision of turning a competition machine into a usable road car.
Sadly, Bruce McLaren died before the project could reach production.
More than five decades later, McLaren has resurrected the idea with the McL 6GT. The new car is reportedly expected to enter production in 2028, with around 500 examples planned. It will feature a carbon-fiber structure, a mid-mounted V8 and, most importantly, a six-speed manual transmission.
So while the McL 6GT may be one of the clearest signs yet that McLaren wants to reconnect with its heritage, it won't necessarily tell us what the next generation of McLarens will look like.
We should find out soon enough.
Motor1's Take: Love it or hate it, the McL 6GT's design won't dictate the future of McLaren. That said, we expect the company to make some major changes to its lineup over the next few years, both visually and technically.
