McLaren M1A Can-Am reborn as Nichols N1A supercar

Fans of the legendary Can-Am race series can now buy an all-new V8-powered supercar heavily inspired by the iconic McLaren M1A racer that competed in both North America and Europe between 1963 and 1968.

Created by fledgling British car-maker Nichols Cars, the new Nichols N1A is actually wider and longer than the original race car and is based on a carbon-fibre and aluminium spaceframe clothed in a carbon-fibre skin.

Founded by Steve Nichols – the former lead designer of the McLaren MP4/4 in which Ayrton Senna scored his first of three Formula 1 Drivers’ Championships in 1988 – the heavy use of carbon-fibre in the N1A is deliberate as Nichols was a pioneer of the ultra-lightweight composite and helped introduce it to F1.

The Nichols N1A rides on much larger 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, and also features double wishbone suspension all around and standard traction control.

Buyers can also opt for power steering and ABS brakes.

The N1A is fitted with a highly modified version of General Motors’ LS3 V8 that has been bored out to 7.0 litres and now features uprated pistons and conrods and drive-by-wire-throttle bodies, plus dry sump lubrication.

In total, Nichols says the naturally-aspirated V8 produces an impressive 485kW, which is a step up on the original that could only manage up to 410kW with its highly-stressed Cosworth DFV V8.

That said, the modern N1A weighs around 900kg, while some versions of 1960s McLaren tipped the scales at just 551kg in race trim.

The N1A V8 is combined with a six-speed manual transmission as standard.

Nichols has yet to reveal pricing for the N1A but will cap production at 100 units, with the first 15 cars primed to feature a special livery that commemorates a specific victory of the McLaren MP4/4.

Details are still to be released, but it’s sure to be drawn from Senna or Alain Prost behind the wheel in 1988, when the MP4/4 dominated the F1 field with 15 out of 16 race wins that season.

“Having experienced amazing racing cars over the decades, I’ve never been able to implement those quirky qualities into a road car, until now,” said Nichols.

“Taking into account all the people that have worked on the N1A, I’m incredibly proud that the car is part of the next chapter in sports car history and is the next step for us and Nichols Cars.

“The process from pencil to production model has been extremely gratifying; this should be a reminder to the entire automotive industry that combining the past, present and looking to the future is the way forward for this entire community.”

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