The
former chief designer of the legendary McLaren MP4 / 4 with which Senna and
Prost swept the 1988 F1 World Championship, Steve Nichols, presents us 35 years
later with his first creation in the form of a street car, the N1A.
Creations
like this are scarce these days. The Nichols N1A is a lightweight
street-approved supercar that is clearly inspired by some of the most
remembered McLaren racing cars.
It is
not for less, since its creator, Steve Nichols, was the chief designer of the
McLaren team the year that the legendary MP4/4 swept the Formula 1 World
Championship in 1988, although he was also present in other teams of the Great
Circus.
Nichols'
experience in carbon fiber was vital at the time and it is now to give life to
the N1A which, aesthetically speaking, is very clearly inspired by another
mythical car made in Woking: the M1A, the first racing McLaren created since
Zero for the brand, in 1964, under Group 7 specifications.
Nichols
N1A: lightness, power, and manual transmission
The
characteristics of the Nichols N1A will make more than one drool: a 7.0-liter,
atmospheric V8 engine made in the United Kingdom, 650 hp, a six-speed manual
gearbox, and a weight of only 900 kg, which guarantees a low weight ratio. the power of almost 700 CV per ton.
The
photos make it clear: the 'trumpets' of the V8 engine will be visible from the
outside, just like on the original M1A. Of course, the Nichols Cars website
also specifies that you can choose a 460 CV Chevrolet L1 mechanic as a base and
a second option of 520 CV improved and with the aforementioned 'trumpets'.
It
measures 4.3 meters long and, although aesthetically it follows the lines of
the McLaren M1A that triumphed in the Can-Am races in the United States. The
N1A from Nichols Cars is wider, longer, and with slightly more rounded and
defined lines.
The N1A
drinks from some of the solutions that Nichols knows well from his past
experience in competition. For example, its lightweight body is made of
graphene-infused carbon fiber, while the chassis is made of aluminum and carbon
fiber.
It's
mounted on high-performance, low-profile Michelin Pilot SC2 tires, 19-inch
240/40 front, and 20-inch 305/30 rear. Power steering is optional, while the standard suspension is an independent double wishbone on both axles.
Each of
the approximately 100 units that there will be of this Nichols N1A promises to
be a unique jewel on wheels, with a customization capacity that "is
limited by the imagination" of the buyer.
The
price is not yet known, although the first 15 units will be of a "higher
range", each commemorating the victories achieved by the McLaren MP4/4 in
the 1988 season, in which it won 15 of 16 races with Ayrton Senna and Alain
Prost behind the wheel.
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