The McLaren M12 was an open-cockpit racing car developed by Bruce McLaren Motor Racing in 1969, solely for the purpose of selling to customers in the Can-Am series. The M12 combined elements from two of McLaren's previous efforts, the M6 series and the M8 series. [1]
Chaparral Cars used an M12 in the early 1969 Can-Am season while their own model's development had been delayed. [2] [3]
Per Geoge Eaton, who bought a M12 from McLaren, McLaren told him "the M12's were originally to be built for an assault on LeMans". The cars were developed to take the M6GT Coupe bodywork. Parts on the M12's had M6GT cast directly into the uprights. Unfortunatlely, the FIA did not accept the M12 under homologation rules so McLaren was forced to abandon the project. Since they had many monocoque chassis' already built, the plans were changed for the M12 to be a roadster and sell them as customer cars for the CanAm series.
M12s were intended as McLaren's first customer cars based on the M8As which the team had successfully used to win the 1968 Can-Am season, as well as the M8Bs which the team were developing for 1969. However, the M12s did not share everything from the M8 series. Instead, the monocoque chassis were actually based on the early M6 series initially developed in 1967. On top of this chassis, the aerodynamic bodywork of the M8A was added. The engine bays were specifically designed to house a Chevrolet V8 engine, but several customers opted for other manufacturers. [4] All M12s were built by Trojan, rather than at McLaren's racing headquarters
Several M12s were later modified by customers in order to cope with necessary demands. Many Can-Am M12 customers added larger rear wings for better downforce, in an attempt to keep up with competitors which had already done the same. [3] Two M12s were imported to Japan by LeMans Co one going to Toyota which received revised bodywork to allow better results at Japanese circuits as well as to fit company's own V8 engine. [5] M12 owner Phil Scragg modified his car with smaller M6 bodywork for use in hillclimb events. One final M12 was used by Trojan to develop a street legal coupé for Canadian André Fournier. [6]
As the 1969 season began, several teams had already purchased the M12. United States McLaren distributor Lothar Motschenbacher entered an M12 for himself, while Canadian George Eaton received an M12 the same week as the first event of the season. [2] John Surtees, unhappy with the visibility on Chaparral's new 2H model, demanded the team buy him a McLaren until the 2H could be modified to suit him. Team owner Jim Hall reluctantly bought Surtees an M12, and the team used it in the beginning of the season until the 2H met Surtees satisfaction. [3] Surtees M12 was able to lead several laps at the opening event at Mosport and finished on the podium. When Surtees became ill mid-season Italian Formula 5000 driver Andrea de Adamich was given a chance to drive the M12 at Michigan. Eaton was the only other driver able to finish on the podium in an M12 over the rest of the season, finishing third at Edmonton and second at Texas. [2]
In Japan, Toyota made the decision to purchase an M12 imported by LeMans Co. Toyota was in the midst of racing against Nissan, Isuzu, and Porsche in several Japanese Group 7 races, but Nissan had so far been unmatched. Toyota was already developing their own model, the 7, but the company also chose to install their 5.0 litres (310 cu in) V8 engine into the M12 chassis. [7] The M12 was unable to match the Nissans, and following several accidents and deaths of test drivers in developments of the 7 in 1969 and 1970, Toyota withdrew from motorsports and their M12 was retired. Other Japanese teams imported the M12, Kurosawa Racing but opted instead for the standard Chevrolet powerplant. [5]
The M12s continued to be used by customer teams into the 1970s, both in Can-Am and the new European Interserie championship, but newer M8-based cars became available each year and eventually replaced the M12s in the field.
The Surtees Racing Organisation was a race team that spent nine seasons as a constructor in Formula One, Formula 2, and Formula 5000.
James Ellis Hall is a retired American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner. While he is best known as a car constructor, he was one of the greatest American racing drivers of his generation, capturing consecutive United States Road Racing Championships, two Road America 500s, two Watkins Glen Grands Prix for sports cars, the 1965 Canadian Grand Prix for sports cars, the 1965 Pacific Northwest Grand Prix, and scoring a massive upset at the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring over a contingent of factory-backed Ford GTs, Shelby Daytona Coupes, and Ferrari entries. If anything Hall's accomplishments behind the wheel have been overshadowed by his pivotal contributions to race car design through his series of Chaparral sports racing and Indy cars. Hall's cars won in every series in which they competed: USRRC, Can-Am, Trans-Am, Formula 5000, World Sportscar Championship, Autoweek Championship, Canadian Sports Car Championship, and the Indianapolis 500.
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup, or Can-Am, was an SCCA/CASC sports car racing series from 1966 to 1974, and again from 1977 to 1987.
Chaparral Cars was a pioneering American automobile racing team and race car developer that engineered, built, and raced cars from 1963 through 1970. Founded in 1962 by American Formula One racers Hap Sharp and Jim Hall, it was named after the roadrunner, a fast-running ground cuckoo also known as a chaparral bird.
A Daytona Prototype was a type of sports prototype racing car developed specifically for the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series as their top class of car, which replaced their main prototype racing class, specifically Le Mans Prototypes (LMPs). The cars later competed in the merged series of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, from 2014 to 2016, before being phased out and replaced by the Daytona Prototype International class in 2017. They are named after the main series event, the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The Mirage Lightweight Racing Car was a family of race cars built by J.W. Automotive Engineereing (JWAE) at Slough in England, initially to compete in international sports car races in the colours of the Gulf Oil Corporation.
The Lola T70 is a sports prototype developed by British manufacturer Lola Cars in 1965. Lola built the aluminium monocoque chassis, which were typically powered by large American V8s.
Courage Compétition was a racing team and chassis constructor company now owned by Oreca, based in Le Mans, France, near the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was founded by Yves Courage, a French race driver who ran hillclimbs before founding the company. Following the purchase of Courage by Oreca in 2007, Yves Courage has refounded the company as Courage Technology in 2010, attempting to develop electric racing cars.
The McLaren F1 GTR is the racing variant of the McLaren F1 sports car first produced in 1995 for grand touring style racing, such as the BPR Global GT Series, FIA GT Championship, JGTC, and British GT Championship. It was powered by the naturally aspirated BMW S70/2 V12 engine. It is most famous for its overall victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans where it won against faster purpose-built prototypes in very wet conditions. The F1 GTR raced internationally until 2005 when the final race chassis was retired.
Eric Harrison Broadley MBE was a British entrepreneur, engineer, and founder and chief designer of Lola Cars, the motor racing manufacturer and engineering company. He was arguably one of the most influential automobile designers of the post-war period, and over the years Lola was involved with many high-profile projects in Formula One, IndyCar, and sports car racing. Broadley sold Lola to Martin Birrane in 1997.
The BMW V12 LM was a racing car built for sports car racing in 1998. The car was built using a combination of WilliamsF1 chassis engineering and construction and a BMW powerplant. The car was a predecessor to the BMW V12 LMR, which debuted in 1999.
The Nissan R90C was a platform used for Group C racing cars built in 1990 by Nissan Motors for competition in World Sportscar Championship (WSC) based in Europe and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship (JSPC). The cars based on the basic R90C platform would compete until 1993 before Nissan chose to withdraw from sports car racing, not returning until 1997. It won three JSPC championships and several significant endurance races during its career.
The Nissan R381 was a racing car developed by Nissan Motors in 1968 for use in the Japanese Grand Prix. It was the successor to the Nissan R380-II, which had been originally developed by the Prince Motor Company
The Toyota 7 was a series of racing cars developed by Toyota Motor Company in cooperation with Yamaha Motor Corporation. Designed primarily for use in FIA Group 7 competition, it was Toyota's first purpose-built racing car project.
The McLaren M6A was a Group 7 prototype race car designed and developed by driver Bruce McLaren, and built by his Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team for their entry in 1967 Can-Am season. As a replacement for the team's M1Bs from 1966, the Chevrolet-powered M6A's improved design earned Bruce McLaren and his team their first of multiple Can-Am championships. After the M6As were replaced by the M8A in preparation for 1968, McLaren and technical partner Trojan–Tauranac Racing developed the M6B which was sold to customers for use in Can-Am as well as other racing series.
The McLaren M20 was a sports prototype developed by McLaren for the 1972 season of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup. It served as a replacement for the team's M8Fs, but it later became the final Can-Am design created by McLaren before the team left the series after failing to secure the 1972 championship title. M20s continued to be entered by private teams until the Can-Am championship was canceled at the conclusion of the 1974 season. McLaren driver Denny Hulme won two races during the 1972 season while Scooter Patrick won a single event in 1974 with a privately entered M20.
The McLaren LT170 was a sports prototype racing car, built in 1971. The LT170 was a hybrid of the Lola T70 and McLaren M6B Can-Am cars, and used a Chevrolet V8 engine. One car was built, which Howie Sangster used on the way to winning the 1972 Western Australia Sports Car Championship.
The ATS D6 was a Formula One racing car manufactured and raced by the Team ATS during the 1983 Formula One season. It was powered by the BMW M12/13 4-cylinder turbocharged engine but the team failed to score any points.
The McLaren M8A was a race car developed by driver Bruce McLaren and his Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team for their entry in 1968 Can-Am season. The M8A and its successors dominated Can-Am racing for four consecutive Can-Am seasons, until the arrival of the Porsche 917.
The Surtees TS5 was a Formula 5000 racing car, designed, developed, and built by Surtees between 1969 and 1970.
