McLaren’s manual mystery just got a lot more real — here’s what we know

McLaren has dropped a cryptic teaser that strongly suggests it’s building its first modern manual supercar, with the reveal set for August 14 during Monterey Car Week. The teaser video opens with the McLaren M6GT—a 1960s road-going offshoot of the Can-Am racer and one of the earliest cars to wear the McLaren badge—which featured a five-speed manual gearbox. The clip then cuts to shadowy glimpses of a new model, a hand pulling back a manual shifter, and a Bruce McLaren quote, all while borrowing design cues from the M6GT, particularly around the roofline and rear haunches. The teaser does not explicitly say “manual,” but the visual emphasis on a shifter and the M6GT’s legacy make a strong case. Reports from last month claimed McLaren is developing an ultra-limited supercar internally codenamed the P50, with fewer than 100 examples planned, a price above the roughly $2.1 million McLaren W1, and a debut at The Quail during Monterey Car Week. The August 14 reveal is now expected to confirm whether this is a true manual transmission or a digitally emulated experience like Ferrari’s 12Cilindri Manuale or Koenigsegg’s solutions. McLaren has historically favored paddle shifters for speed, but this teaser signals a deliberate shift toward a more traditional driving experience. The company has not confirmed the model name, engine, production cap, or price, but the teaser’s timing and visuals strongly suggest a genuine manual is on the way.