Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Developed under codename P50, McLaren has revealed a new manual supercar concept called the McL 6GT, and it marks a change of tack for the Woking-based automaker. See, when McLaren's modern era was kick-started into life with the MP4-12C in 2010, it created a problem for the established supercar hierarchy. Although less emotional than the comparable Ferrari 458 Italia, the MP4-12C was widely considered objectively better overall by those who drove both, proving more composed and less susceptible to driver error. Fast forward 16 years, and every supercar's electronic systems are so good at masking mistakes and smoothing the driving experience that supercar buyers now desire cars that are more raw, more mechanical, and more interesting. Thus, the company that made its name by perfecting performance in every measurable way is now looking to tap into unquantifiable sensations of the driving experience, and the best way to do that and simultaneously safeguard McLaren's future is to look to the past. Curiously, the design it came up with looks not dissimilar to the McLaren-inspired Gordon Murray Special Vehicles Le Mans GTR from the front.Bruce McLaren's Dream Comes True With McL 6GTMcLarenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementFounded by New Zealand-born Bruce McLaren, the British company was built around motorsport, but Bruce wanted to eventually craft road cars, too, producing a road-going Can-Am prototype and then conceiving the M6GT. The iconic McLaren F1 eventually arrived, followed by the compromised Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, and then the MP4-12C and its recent descendants. That's a relatively short history, but it's heritage nonetheless, and after presenting a period-correct rebuilt M6GT at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year, McLaren's new McL 6GT concept is testing the waters to see how much interest there is in a retro McLaren produced by a company famed for technical innovation.Related: McLaren's First Road Car Dream Looks Even Better In PersonMcLaren's financial situation has been rocky, so it can't take unnecessary risks, but the company says a production version will arrive in 2028. And although the timing is coincidental, it arguably couldn't be better.McLarenView the 4 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementMcLaren would have begun preparing this concept long before Ferrari got flamed online for the 12Cilindri Manuale with a clutch- and shifter-by-wire setup, but McLaren doesn't miss the opportunity to take subtle digs at Maranello, highlighting an authentic manual transmission with an exposed linkage physically connected to the McL 6GT's drivetrain. This is the brand's first manual transmission since the F1 and is complemented by a V8 internal combustion engine (likely another 4.0-liter twin-turbo) powering the rear wheels, while the front wheels are controlled through an increasingly rare, feelsome hydraulic power steering system, all wrapped up in a carbon fiber monocoque and body. Inside, boxed quilting is reimagined, the shifter has been designed for perfect feel and throw, and there are a few screens, bridging the gap between the 20th and 21st centuries. The retro design includes various Bruce McLaren signatures, Speedy Kiwi logos based on McLaren's original logo, and the brand's Racing Loop motif, but the McL 6GT is not instantly recognizable as a typical McLaren, with the elegant form forgoing the aggressive aerodynamics of other contemporary Macs. A shortage of familiar design cues and logos makes this feel like something completely new and separate from normal McLarens, and that's the point.Autoblog's TakeMcLarenView the 5 images of this gallery on the original articlePricing and production numbers have not been revealed as part of the McL 6GT's debut at the 2026 Monterey Car Week today, but we can expect big and small figures, respectively. McLaren has not revealed much of the cabin, and we don't know if an existing product has donated its underpinnings to make the McL 6GT happen, but the new supercar will undoubtedly uphold McLaren's reputation for rewarding driving experiences. Combine Woking's excellent understanding of chassis dynamics and the potency of its powertrains with something that is tactile and requires deliberate inputs in a restrained design, and McLaren's McL 6GT represents a completely new direction.A digitized manual transmission might have suited McLaren better than Ferrari, but the roles have been switched, and as electrification and digitization take over the supercar space, the company that helped catapult car capability into the future is trying to capture the raw emotion of the past, not further increase speed and downforce. If this does well (as it almost certainly will), we can expect more products outside the core range. How McLaren will make the stories behind these future creations fit with its brand and its short history remains to be seen, but we're pleased to see supercars returning to a more analog state. Hopefully, others will follow McLaren's lead.McLarenView the 10 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.