The McLaren McL 6GT Concept Previews a Stick-Shift V-8 Hypercar for 2028

McLaren Automotive unveiled the McL 6GT concept during Monterey Car Week, previewing a production-bound, rear-wheel-drive V-8 hypercar with a six-speed manual transmission slated to arrive in 2028. The cranberry-red, right-hand-drive concept combines a woven carbon-fiber monocoque, mid-mounted V-8 (displacement undisclosed), Pirelli P Zero R tires with 325/30/R21 rears, and analog-first interior detailing — including an exposed titanium linkage on the shifter and a six-speed gear pattern etched on the knob — marking McLaren’s first authentic manual gearbox since the legendary F1.

“We are literally just getting started, and with the maverick spirit of Bruce [McLaren],” said Nick Collins, chief executive officer of McLaren Automotive, framing the McL 6GT as the opening move on a broader product roadmap following major ownership changes.

McLaren’s public return follows the company’s acquisition in April 2025 by Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings and its integration with luxury EV startup Forseven. Executives say McLaren spent the subsequent 16 months largely in reflection, reassessing strategy and product direction before emerging with the McL 6GT as a statement of intent. Kemal Curic, McLaren’s chief design officer, described the approach to the concept as repeatedly asking, “What would Bruce have done?” — an explicit link to Bruce McLaren’s unfinished roadgoing M6GT project from the late 1960s.

• Design cues tie directly to the marque’s past: the McL 6GT evokes the low, wide stance of the M6A Can‑Am racer and incorporates oversized headlamp lenses, a Kamm-back tail, dihedral doors, and a continuous racetrack motif repeated in taillamps and exhaust outlets.
• The concept emphasizes tactile, mechanical engagement: hydraulic steering, knurled analog switches, a gauge cluster mounted atop a flat‑bottom steering wheel, and rocker switches that control suspension and performance settings without hand movement from the wheel.
• Exterior and packaging details include clean carbon-fiber bodywork, integrated aerodynamic inlets and air curtains, rear glass with vents and exposed fasteners, and elongated rear fenders that feed an integrated spoiler.
• Interior touches underscore nostalgia and craftsmanship: Alcantara “boxed quilting,” a “Speedy Kiwi” shield on the B-pillars and fuel-filler cap, and machined-metal rocker switches intended to preserve driver focus over screen-heavy cabins.
• McLaren also showcased ties to its history at Car Week: a reproduction of Bruce McLaren’s M6GT was displayed — a faithful build using original molds and archival drawings with a fiberglass body and Chevy small-block V‑8 — alongside a W1 hypercar, a 788 HS Coupe and Spyder, and the MCL-HY GTS Le Mans Hypercar racer.

While the McL 6GT signals a renewed emphasis on heritage and driver engagement, McLaren executives declined to confirm whether larger, volume-friendly segments such as SUVs are under consideration, a strategy that has bolstered competitors’ balance sheets. The firm has also just recently introduced the limited-production 788 HS, described as the “definitive final chapter” for its current V‑8 platform that traces back to the 720S. For now, McLaren positions the McL 6GT as a deliberate attempt to differentiate through analog purity, lightweight carbon construction, and a return to a manual, driver-focused hypercar experience in 2028.