McLaren
M6 GT
The
McLaren M6 GT project started when Bruce McLaren decided to enter Le Mans in
the late 1960’s. The plan was to take an M6 Can-Am car and develop a coupe body
that would be competitive in long distance racing. To meet regulations at the
time a minimum of fifty cars had to be completed. However homologation problems
lead to the project being scrapped.
Having
always harboured an ambition to build his own road car McLaren wanted to turn
the project into the ultimate road car. He wanted to build the fastest and
quickest accelerating car in the world that translated their expertise on the
race track, to create the definitive road going sports car.
In
early 1970 work began on the GT so he could use it on the road in an effort to
find out what problems would have to be overcome.
Together
with chief designer Gordon Coppuck, Bruce planned to refine the prototype,
eventually aiming to produce up to 250 cars per year.
In
fact only two M6 GTs were ever built, The original prototype and a second built
by Trojan. The original prototype, OBH 500H, became Bruce's personal
transportation, and remained so until his untimely death at Goodwood on June 2,
1970 when the road car project died with him.
