Redline Grand Prix - McLaren M6A

The McLaren M6A was released in 1969 as part of the new Grand Prix Series.

The real McLaren M6A was one of many great designed, built and raced by Bruce McLaren in the 1960s. The M6A in particular enjoyed great success on the CanAm and USRRC circuits in 1967. McLaren himself drove an M6A to the 1967 CanAm Championship, with Denny Hulme finishing 2nd in another M6A. In 1968, Mark Donohue won the USRRC championship in a McLaren M6A. McLarens dominated that series, winning six of the nine races against tough competition from Lola.

At left, it's McLaren, Lola and Chaparral at the Stardust G.P.; at right Bruce McLaren in an M6A.

The Hot Wheels version of the McLaren M6A featured a rear hatch that opened to show a detailed engine. A sticker sheet with Bruce McLaren's signature "4" racing numbers was included in the blister pack. The McLaren M6A was produced in various Spectraflame colors, as well as in orange enamel like the real car. McLarens were produced at both the US and HK plants. As with other Grand Prix cars, early production versions of the McLaren had a rear hatch that opened all the way, often resulting in damage to the hinge. On later versions, a stop peg was added to prevent the hatch from opening to the point of stressing the hinge. US cars had a clear windshield and a black interior. A few US McLarens have been found with brown interiors. Unlike the other 1969 Grand Prix cars, the McLaren can be found in all of the first generation Spectraflame colors, and all of the second generation colors with the exception of hot pink. For some unknown reason, McLarens can be found in several intermediate colors such as light purple, yellow-orange, medium blue, etc.

Four tough US McLarens: (L to R) yellow, light green, magenta and creamy pink.

HK McLarens differ from US cars in that they have blue-tinted windshields, chrome rather than silver wheel trim, and a different base (four square openings). They are common in red, green and blue. Interestingly, orange enamel HK McLarens have not been seen. This is odd, given that all of the other Grand Prix cars that were produced in an enamel color had US and HK counterparts. Instead, it seems that the HK plant produced a relatively small number of red enamel McLarens and at least one in dark green enamel. This rare car, pictured below, appears to have originally been Spectraflame blue but was repainted at the factory before assembly.

A rare and beautiful HK orange McLaren.

Another tough HK McLaren: olive!

One-of-a-kind: a green enamel HK McLaren M6A.

From the Ken McLaren collection: not one but two rare red enamel HK cars!

A few rare unpainted prototype McLarens have been discovered. Two of these are pictured below. Note the painted highlights on the engine.

McLaren M6A Color chart

US COLORS:	COMMENTS:
green	common
aqua	common
brown	common
orange enamel	common
red
orange
gold
antifreeze
blue
purple
rose
olive
light blue
yellow	hard to find
lime	hard to find
magenta	hard to find
light green	hard to find
creamy pink	rare

HK COLORS:
red	common
blue	common
green	common
aqua
orange	hard to find
olive	rare
red enamel	rare
dark green enamel	very rare; only one known

Although rumoured not to exist, you can find orange enamel McLarens in blister packs.

An awesome find: a purple McLaren in a non-Grand Prix Series blister pack!

On the track: McLaren vs. Chaparral!

A Japanese issue blister pack with a blue McLaren.

A cornucopia of McLaren blister packs!

A complete US McLaren rainbow.

A most impressive group: Ken McLaren's HK McLarens!

Three amazing enamel McLarens: a red HK and an orange with brown interior
flank a green paint test car that came from a former Mattel employee!