Discover the Vehicles | Supercars Spotlight: McLaren
1998 MCLAREN
F1 “LM-SPECIFICATION”
HORSEPOWER: 680
TOP SPEED: 225 mph (McLaren F1 LM)
ENGINE: 6.1-liter V-12
NUMBER BUILT: 2 (LM spec F1s)
PRODUCTION YEARS: 1992-1998
Built by Formula 1 car designer Gordon Murray to be the ultimate street legal GT car, the McLaren F1 came to serve as the archetype of a new performance vehicle now known as the hypercar. With its combination of high performance, aggressive styling, low production volume, and use of expensive and high-performance materials like gold, titanium, Kevlar, and carbon fiber, the F1 set a new standard for supercar performance. This car was one of two standard F1s fitted by McLaren with an “LM spec” engine and bodywork modifications, increasing its power and enhancing stability at the astoundingly high speeds of which it was capable.
COURTESY OF RARE WHEELS COLLECTION
To reflect the heat produced by the F1’s mid-mounted engine away from the car’s body, the engine bay was lined with gold foil.
Courtesy of The McLaren Group
1969 MCLAREN
M6GT
HORSEPOWER: 370 (prototype M6GT)
TOP SPEED: 165 mph (prototype M6GT)
ENGINE: 5.7-Liter Chevrolet LT1 V-8 (prototype M6GT)
NUMBER BUILT: 4
PRODUCTION YEARS: 1969
Considered McLaren’s first road car, this M6GT was originally built as a competition race car for endurance races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After regulations prevented it from racing, the company’s founder, Bruce McLaren, turned the M6GT into the fastest accelerating road car built up to that time. Based on the lightweight chassis pioneered in McLaren’s M6A, and powered by a Chevrolet engine tuned by Bartz, this is the only M6GT to have been built and raced prior McLaren’s death in 1970.
COLLECTION OF JAMES EDWARDS
The design of the McLaren M6GT was based on that of McLaren’s successful M6A Can-Am race car.
Courtesy of McLaren Archive
