- McLaren’s teaser strongly hints at a new manual-equipped supercar.
- Reports peg the car under 100 units and above the W1’s price.
- The August 14 reveal should settle whether this is a true manual.
McLaren has spent decades telling us paddle shifters are quicker. Now, it’s making us decode a teaser for its first modern manual. Still, its latest social-media clip is about as close to confirmation as a tease can get. It strongly points to a manual-equipped special arriving on August 14 at Monterey Car Week, and the rumor we covered last month suddenly has some real weight behind it.
The video opens with the McLaren M6GT, a road-going offshoot of the company’s Can-Am racer and one of the earliest cars to wear the McLaren name. It had a five-speed manual gearbox, although the project ended after just three prototypes. Recently, the company spent a great deal of time putting one on the road. Then comes a Bruce McLaren quote, cryptic glimpses of something new, and finally, a hand pulling back a shifter.
That isn’t an accident. McLaren hasn’t said the word “manual” itself, but it would be a remarkably odd bit of theater otherwise. The teaser also appears to borrow a few design cues from the M6GT, particularly around the roofline and rear haunches. We’ll need more than a few shadowy frames before calling it a true retro-inspired successor, but the connection is clearly intentional.
More: Everyone’s Talking About A New Manual McLaren Supercar, Except McLaren
A month ago, reports claimed that McLaren was developing an ultra-limited supercar internally known as the P50. The same rumor suggested fewer than 100 examples, a price above the roughly $2.1 million McLaren W1, and a debut at The Quail during Monterey Car Week. McLaren’s teaser makes the reveal date look solid. The name, engine, production cap, and price are all still unconfirmed.
The big remaining question is what McLaren means by “manual.” The F1’s six-speed was the honest old-school article, but modern manufacturers have begun treating the experience as something that can be replicated electronically. Ferrari’s 12Cilindri Manuale uses a gated shifter and clutch pedal, but its dual-clutch transmission is operated by wire. Koenigsegg has taken a similarly creative route.
That said, McLaren has a habit of being a bit more unhinged in certain design decisions. It wouldn’t shock us at all if somehow, someway, there’s a genuine mechanical connection between the clutch pedal and the clutch itself. We’ll find out for sure in just two days.
