McLaren Cars Listed by Model

Model number

Category

M2A – 1965

This was an early exercise in producing a Mallite monocoque and was the teams first single seat design. It was the work of Robin Herd who borrowed Mallite – an aluminium balsa sandwich material – form experience in the aircraft industry, It was light but extremely strong and this single car was used for development of the forthcoming Formula 1 car and served Firestone very well as a test vehicle. It used Traco Oldsmobile and Ford V-8 engines and gave rise to many rumors of McLaren having a Formula 1 car. In fact the car was never raced, but many lessons from its testing were incorporated into the M2B.

M2B – 1966
This was McLaren Racing’s first Formula 1 car. Technically it was a spectacular success, for the chassis was the stiffest open cockpit unit ever built, with torsional rigidity approaching 10,000lbs/ft per degree. The 1966 season was the first to be run under the 3 litre Formula 1, however the McLaren car was not a success and was shelved at the end of the year. two chassis were built, but only one raced.
Chassis: Bathtub type monocoque formed from Mallite and duralumin panelling formed over mild steel bulkheads.
Suspension: Independent by upper rocker arm operating in-board coil spring/shock units with radius arm and lower wishbone in front. Upper transverse link and radius arm, lower reverse wishbone and radius arm with outboard coil springs/shock units at rear. McLaren cast magnesium wheels, 13 x 8½ front and 13 x 12 rear.
Brakes: Girling discs all round with dual circuits and BR calipers, AR rear.
Body: Formed by monocoque sides apart from fibreglass nose cone and cockpit surround, and engine covers used occasionally with both engines.
Engine: 3 Litre Ford V-8, ex Indianapolis twincam engine later replaced temporarily by 3 litre Serenissima V-8; Borg & Beck clutch and 5 speed ZF 5DS25 transaxle.
Dimensions: Wheelbase 96 inches, front track 59 inches, rear track 59 inches.

M4B – 1967
The M4B was the production variant of the Formula 2 design using the Lotus-Ford twincam engines and Hewland HD transaxles for the American Formula B racing. Another so called M4B, the subject of this specification, was the interim 1967 Formula 1 car raced by Bruce McLaren. This was a stop gap measure between the demise of the M2B and the appearance of the new BRM powered M5. The car was also fitted with side sponson to provide extra tankage.
Trojan built 25 M4A/B cars in 1967-1968.
Chassis: Bathtub monocoque formed from aluminium panelling bonded and riveted to four mild steel bulkheads
Suspension: Single top link with radius arms and lower wishbones, outboard coil spring/shock units and anti-roll bar in front. Twin radius arms, reversed lower wishbones and single top links with outboard coil spring/shock units at rear. McLaren-Elva cast magnesium wheels, 13 x 7 front, 13 x 10 rear (5.00 and 6.25 – 13 tyres).
Brakes: Girling or Lockheed 10½ inch discs all around with AR calipers.
Body: Formed by monocoque sides plus fibreglass nose cone and cockpit surround.
Engine: 2.1 litre BRM V-8 with Hewland FT200 transaxle.
Dimensions: Wheelbase 93 inches, front track 54 inches, rear track 54 inches, overall length 121 inches , height 30 inches, weight (with ballast) about 1120 pounds to comply with F1 limit.

M5A – 1967-68
The true 1967 McLaren Formula 1 car, the one off M5 was late starter due to delays with its BRM V-12 engine. Its first race was the Canadian GP and was a strong second till the battery had to be replaced during the race.
Chassis: Aluminium alloy panelled monocoque formed over mild steel bulkheads with long pontoons at the rear to support the V-12 engine
Suspension: Single top link with radius arm, lower wishbone, anti-roll bar and outboard coil spring/shock units in front, and outboard coil spring/shock units at rear. McLaren cast magnesium wheels, 13 x 8½ fronts and 15 x 12 rear.
Brakes: Lockheed discs and calipers all around.
Body: Formed by monocoque sides apart from fibreglass nose cone and cockpit surround.
Engine: 3 litre BRM V-12 with Borg & Beck clutch and Hewland DG 5 speed transaxle.
Dimensions: Wheelbase 96 inches, front track 58 inches, rear track 58 inches.

M7A – 1968-69
Robin Herd had a guiding hand with the design of the M7A, it was the teams first Cosworth-Ford powered Formula 1 car. Three M7A’s were built to be driven by Bruce and Denny Hulme, the third was the team’s spare. This was Robin Herd’s first McLaren design and in the interests of accessibility, they had bathtub type monocoque which terminated behind the rear cockpit bulkhead, using the engines crankcase as a fully stressed rear chassis member.
Chassis: Monocoque with light aluminium alloy panelling over steel bulkheads, using the engine as a stressed section aft of the cockpit, carrying rear suspension loads through a yoke over the gearbox and plates bolted beneath it.
Suspension: Single top link with radius arm, bottom wishbone, anti-roll bar and outboard coil spring/shock units in front. Single top links, reverse lower wishbones, twin radius arms and coil spring/shock units at rear. McLaren cast magnesium wheels, 15 x 10 front and 15 x 15 rear.
Brakes: Lockheed17/3P calipers with 11.66 inch diameter discs all around.
Body: Detachable fibreglass nose with separate top panel and cockpit surround. Engine cover sometimes used with various wings and spoiler arrangements.
Engine: Cosworth-Ford DFV V-8 with 5 speed Hewland DG300 transaxle.
Dimensions: Wheelbase 94 inches, front track 58 inches, rear track 57 inches, cockpit width 28 inches, weight 1140 pounds.

M7B – 1969
The M7B started as a M7A-3 fitted with broad pannier style fuel tanks at the beginning of the 1969 season as a research vehicle to test weight distribution and give room for the adoption of a four wheel drive system. It was not very successful and was sold to Colin Crabbe’s Antique Automobiles Racing team for Vic Elford to drive. Apart from the panniers, its specification was little different from the standard M7A’s

M7C – 1969
While the M7A type bathtub chassis were tough and accessible, they lacked some of the torsional rigidity achieved in the 1968 Formula A/5000 cars. Consequently one F1 car was built using a full “up and over” monocoque chassis identical to the M10A 5 litre cars and the machine, known as M7C-1, was Bruce’s personal car in the 1969 F1 season. In general specification it was similar to the M7A cars.

M7D – 1970
Team McLaren built this car in association with Autodelta early in 1970 to accept one of their Alfa Romeo T33 V-8 engines. The new chassis followed the two year old M7 series design but was two inches longer.

M14A – 1970
Three 1970 Formula 1 cars were built at the start of the season. The design team of Bruce, Gordon Coppuck and Jo Marquart had made several important innovations. The most notable was to mount the rear brakes inboard in an effort to save unsprung weight.
Chassis: Full monocoque with aluminium and magnesium panelling bonded to fabricated steel bulkheads, terminating behind the rear cockpit bulkhead and using the engine as a fully-stressed chassis member.
Suspension: Single top link with radius arm, lower wishbone, anti-roll bar and outboard coil spring/shock units in front. Single top link, reversed lower wishbone, twin radius arms and outboard coil spring/shock units at rear. McLaren cast magnesium wheels, 15 x 11 front and 15 x 16 rear.
Brakes: Lockheed ventilated discs all around, 11.66-inch diameter front and 10.90-inch diameter rear mounted inboard.
Body: Formed by monocoque sides with detachable fibreglass nose cone and cockpit surrounds.
Engine: Cosworth-Ford DFV 3-litre V-8 with Hewland DG300 5-speed transaxle.
Dimensions: Wheelbase 95 inches, front track 62.4 inches, rear track 60 inches, length 156 inches, weight 1180 pounds.

M14D – 1970
The M14D was a development of the M7C, the car Bruce McLaren drove in 1969, the last full Grand Prix season he competed before he was killed testing a Can-Am car in 1970. The M14D was powered by an Alfa Romeo engine. It was rather unsuccessful, its best finish was an eight in the Italian Grand Prix. The Cosworth DFV powered M14A fared better, McLaren scored a fourth place in the 1970 constructors championship with it, tied with Brabham.
Only one M14D was built, originally driven by Andrea de Adamich. Because the M14D wasn’t ready at the start of the season, an Alfa Romeo powered
Chassis: Full monocoque with aluminium and magnesium panelling bonded to fabricated steel bulkheads, terminating behind the rear cockpit bulkhead and using the engine as a fully-stressed chassis member.
Suspension: Single top link with radius arm, lower wishbone, anti-roll bar and outboard coil spring/shock units in front. Single top link, reversed lower wishbone, twin radius arms and outboard coil spring/shock units at rear. McLaren cast magnesium wheels, 15 x 11 front and 15 x 16 rear.
Brakes: Lockheed ventilated discs all around, 11.66-inch diameter front and 10.90-inch diameter rear mounted inboard.
Body: Formed by monocoque sides with detachable fibreglass nose cone and cockpit surrounds.
Engine: Alfa-Romeo T33 V-8
Dimensions: Wheelbase 95 inches, front track 62.4 inches, rear track 60 inches, length 156 inches, weight 1180 pounds.

M19A – 1971
The Formula 1 car for 1971 again was powered by a Cosworth-Ford DFV V-8 engine. The car is a “coke bottle” shape. The design team was headed by Ralph Bellamy.
Chassis: . It has an aluminium monocoque
Suspension: Front suspension is by a rocker arm and lower link, and rear suspension is by top link and radius rods and a reversed lower wishbone. Koni shock absorbers, McLaren rack and pinion steering
Brakes: Lockheed brakes
Body:
Engine: Borg & Beck clutch and Hewland or BRD drive shafts are used
Dimensions: Weight is 1230 pounds and fuel capacity 45 gallon, wheelbase of 100 inches, a front track of 63 inches and a rear track of 62 inches. Front wheels are 13 inches in diameter with l0-inch rims and the rear wheels are 15 inches in diameter with 16-inch rims

M23 – 1973
The M23 was the last highpoint in the history of the McLaren factory before it was taken over by Ron Dennis and his Marlboro-Project 4 (MP4) effort. The car was introduced in 1973 in the Yardley colours with a high airbox fitted on top of the engine. It was designed by Gordon Coppuck and it featured elements of his previous design, the M16 Indycar, but was also a development of the M19 Grand Prix car by Ralph Bellamy. Some say that the M23 was actually a M16 chassis with a M19 rear end, but that is short-changing this very effective design.
The M23 was run for more than four Grand Prix Seasons and won 16 championship races. Starting the 1974 season the cars were entered in the well-known Marlboro colours, after that company ended its affiliation with BRM.
Like most cars in its era it was powered by a Cosworth DFV unit and had a Hewland FG400 transmission. In 1976 high airboxes were ruled out and an alternative engine cover and air intakes combination was introduced as seen on these pictures.
Denny Hulme and Peter Revson won three races for the McLaren team in the 1973 championship with the M23. In 1974 Emerson Fittipaldi won three races and the world championship in it and Denny Hulme won one race. Fittipaldi was runner-up in the 1975 championship and won two races. James Hunt drove the shown M23(/8) in the 1976 Grand Prix season and won six races and was runner-up to Nikki Lauda in the championship. The last season M23s were entered in championship races was 1977, and the team still achieved a third place in the constructors championship with it (and partly with its successor, the M26). This amount of achievements for one basic F1 car design can only be dreamed of nowadays…
This is believed to be one of the classic Grand Prix cars of all time.

M24 – 1977
The 1977 Indianapolis/USAC track car using the Cosworth DFX turbocharged engine.

M26 – 1976-78
The M26 had very similar lines to the M23, but was lower and lighter and had a radiator in the nose instead of at the sides. This car was also a Coppuck design and the first one was made in 1976 but never entered in a race. A further developed version succeeded the M23 mid-season in 1977.
Equaling the achievements of the M23 proved to be difficult, and although the M26 was another effective design its competitive life was relatively short: in 1978 it was already obsolete because of the introduction of ground-effect cars by Lotus. In 1979 it was replaced by the faulty M28 ground-effect car that led to the demise of the original McLaren outfit. Still, James Hunt won three championship races in the M26 in 1977.

M27 –
This car the replacement for the M26 was shelved, it was based on non ground effects.

M28 – 1979
1979 saw the year of ground effects in Formula 1, this car was not a success.

M29 – 1979
This works car was a hasty William’s copy ground effect cars replacing the M28.

M30 – 1980
This year saw the Formula 1 works car with advanced ground effects, intended to revive McLarens competitiveness, it unfortunately failed and the lone M30 was written off in the US GP.

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