McLaren will use the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed to unveil a newly restored version of the M6GT, the one-off road car originally conceived by founder Bruce McLaren. The project, completed by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), recreates Bruce McLaren’s personal vision for a road-going sports car using original body moulds, period reference materials and historic drawings from the company’s archives.
Built around a period M6A chassis and fitted with a period-correct small-block V8 and gearbox, the restoration combines restored original components with newly manufactured pieces produced to match the original specification. According to McLaren, the project also serves as the starting point for a broader heritage collection within MSO, using archival research and traditional craftsmanship to preserve significant vehicles from the company’s history.
Colnbrook White Pays Tribute to McLaren’s Early Years
One of the defining details of the restoration is its bespoke exterior finish known as Colnbrook White. The cream-based paint takes its name from the Colnbrook factory where Bruce McLaren developed his early road car concept while operating near what was then London Airport, now Heathrow.
The color combination also references McLaren’s earliest Formula 1 efforts. The white exterior and green interior draw inspiration from Bruce McLaren’s 1966 M2B Formula 1 car, which wore a white body accented by a green stripe. Inside, details such as a hand-turned walnut shift knob, custom green vinyl upholstery and restored period hardware were recreated to closely match the original M6GT specification.
McLaren Brings Heritage and Future Together at Goodwood
The restored M6GT will be part of McLaren House at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the company plans a display spanning both historic and current models. Heritage vehicles including the M8A Can-Am racer, Bruce McLaren’s Austin 7 Ulster and the McLaren F1 GTR will be displayed alongside current production models such as the Artura, Artura Spider and 750S.
McLaren will also demonstrate its latest performance cars on the hillclimb, including the W1 hypercar. The Artura will appear in a two-tone Colnbrook White and Atlantic Blue finish inspired by the restored M6GT. The display will further include the public debut of the MCL-HY, McLaren Racing’s 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans challenger, along with the track-only MCL-HY GTR customer car. McLaren has also confirmed it will reveal an additional new supercar during the festival, with its public debut scheduled for Friday, July 10.
Part of a Growing Heritage Movement
While the M6GT restoration is unique, it arrives amid a growing trend of manufacturers and specialist builders revisiting significant competition cars from the 1960s and early 1970s. Recent examples include the Lola T70S, which reimagines the T70 as a modern road car, and the Légende Automobiles Sixten, an interpretation of the Porsche 910 designed for contemporary collectors.
Established manufacturers have also embraced factory-backed heritage programs in recent years. Aston Martin has produced continuation versions of the DB4 GT and Blower, Jaguar Classic has recreated the C-type, D-type and XKSS, while Shelby American continues to build officially sanctioned Cobras. Like the Auto Union Type C recreation commissioned by Audi Tradition from Crosthwaite & Gardiner, the restored M6GT demonstrates how historic racing and prototype cars are increasingly being preserved, recreated or reinterpreted using original archives, drawings and modern craftsmanship.
The project also invites comparison with the Auto Union Type C recreation commissioned by Audi Tradition, another factory-backed effort created to preserve an important chapter of a marque’s history rather than expand its product lineup. Whether the M6GT ultimately remains a singular piece of history or becomes the foundation for future commissions remains to be seen. McLaren has positioned the car as the starting point of an MSO heritage collection, not a customer offering. That said, the expertise, tooling and archival research developed during the restoration would almost certainly make additional builds technically possible should the company ever decide to pursue them for select clients. At present, however, McLaren has given no indication that such a program is planned.
