McLaren Unveils First Manual‑Transmission Supercar Since the F1 at Las Vegas
The McL 6GT, a carbon‑fiber V8 with a six‑speed clutch, made its public debut at the Wynn Las Vegas Concours.
McLaren’s first manual‑transmission car in more than three decades is now out in public. The McL 6GT made its global public debut at the 2026 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas, and the headline feature is a clutch pedal.
The McL 6GT pairs a mid‑mounted V8 with a six‑speed manual gearbox that drives the rear wheels, making it the first McLaren road car with a true manual since the McLaren F1 arrived in 1992. A production version is due in 2028.
The name and mission echo the M6GT, a road car Bruce McLaren began developing in the late 1960s. That project, based on the M6A Can‑Am racer, was intended as the first true McLaren road car and possibly a Le Mans platform. Bruce drove the prototype as his personal car, but the effort ended with his death in 1970. McLaren Special Operations recently restored his original car using archive drawings, original body molds and period photos.
Built on a carbon‑fiber monocoque with all‑carbon bodywork, the McL 6GT emphasizes driver‑machine connection over outright performance. It features hydraulically assisted steering, knurled machined‑aluminum controls and a gear lever tuned for shift feel and throw. The exterior borrows from the M6A: a low, wide body, a Kammback tail and a “Racing Loop” taillight motif inspired by the original M6GT. Bruce McLaren’s signature sits in the engine bay, his M6GT registration plate appears as a tone‑on‑tone graphic, and the “Speedy Kiwi” emblem shows up on the fuel cap and the gear knob.
In a segment that has largely shifted to dual‑clutch units and electrification, the McL 6GT demonstrates that a major supercar maker still sees a business case for a manual. For collectors, it offers a low‑volume, heritage‑driven McLaren with a 2028 delivery window. Pricing and allocation details are expected as production approaches.
