McLaren Unveils First Stick-Shift Supercar Since the F1: The McL 6GT

McLaren has revealed its first manual-transmission supercar in over three decades, marking a return to the row-your-own setup that the brand hasn't offered since the legendary F1. The new model, called the McL 6GT, made its debut during this year's Monterey Car Week.

The name blends McLaren's current Formula 1 chassis nomenclature with the spirit of its old Can-Am race cars, like the M6. While it's technically a concept, McLaren has promised the McL 6GT will enter production in 2028, complete with a stick shift and three pedals.

The design is a major departure from modern McLarens. It lacks the familiar rooflines, curved noses, and exposed rear ends seen on models from the MP4-12C to the Artura and Senna. Instead, it draws heavily from the M6 GT, with vertical headlights, a Kamm tail, and simple ductwork reminiscent of supercars from the '90s and 2000s.

Inside, the shifter is treated as a centerpiece, with metallic linkages designed to catch natural light against a backdrop of black and carbon fiber.

Under the skin, details are scarce. The car is powered by a V8, though it's unclear if it's turbocharged or naturally aspirated. There's no hybrid assistance, and McLaren promises a "tactile, analogue, and deeply mechanical" experience. The monocoque and body are carbon fiber.

McLaren describes the McL 6GT as a "new type" of supercar "beyond the core portfolio," suggesting manual gearboxes won't become standard across its lineup. Instead, the brand appears to be branching into more exclusive, analog-focused offerings. The direction was teased weeks earlier at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where McLaren restored Bruce McLaren's personal M6 GT, a Can-Am machine rebodied with a closed cockpit that never raced and was later converted into a road car.

That car serves as a blueprint for this new model, updated with half a century of technological progress.