TARGETS & GOALS 23 - 2024
AFFIRMATION
The N1A by Nichols Cars is the culmination of expert know-how and intricate attention to detail. Together with incredibly talented individuals from all corners of the automotive industry they have encountered over the years, eponymous founder Steve Nichols and CEO of Nichols Cars, John Minett, set on a journey to create a car that utilises the latest in today’s automotive technology and inspired by racing cars of the past, built to be enjoyed on the open road.
The new N1A draws its inspiration from the McLaren M1A, the legendary race car that commenced McLaren’s story as a Constructor. However, it’s so much more than a tribute to an iconic racing car. While the Nichols Cars N1A takes some visual cues from the M1A, it is a thoroughly modern design, equally at home on the road or on track.
Feeling that there was a demand for a revitalised British sports car that delivered on both looks and performance, legendary designer Steve Nichols established Nichols Cars in 2017. Given his long history with McLaren, the McLaren Can-Am cars of the 1960s were an obvious starting point.
Nichols Cars is a wholly independent brand that strives to revitalise the classic British sports car and offer something with fantastic handling, brutal performance, and stunning looks – a car that is built upon years of experience and celebrates the best of automotive heritage.
Celebrating the iconic McLaren M1A, Nichols Cars acknowledges the immense impact this had on McLaren’s entry into the competitive world of motorsport. With 2023 marking 60 years since the M1A’s inception, it’s fitting to introduce a car that captures the essence of driving an M1A in a contemporary world.
A renowned name in the motorsport world, most notably in Formula One, Steve Nichols worked with McLaren in the late 1980s and early 1990s and is credited with introducing the applications of carbon fibre to Formula One, a material that is now commonplace in most racing cars today. Becoming lead designer at McLaren in 1987, the first car Nichols designed for the famed marque, the MP4/3, carried Alain Prost to three victories and led the team to finish second in that year’s Constructors’ Championship behind Williams.
At the height of the rivalry between legendary drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, the second car that Nichols oversaw is often regarded as Formula One’s most iconic car, the mighty McLaren MP4/4. Carrying Senna to his first of three Driver’s Championship wins and winning an impressive 15 out of 16 races in the 1988 season, the MP4/4 became one of the most dominant Formula One cars of all time.
Later joining teams such as Ferrari, Jaguar, Jordan, and Sauber, before eventually coming back to McLaren during the Mika Häkkinen era at the end of the 1990s, Nichols’ magic touch has followed him throughout his career. A firm believer that the racing cars of the 1960s are among some of the best cars ever created, and that the early ‘60s cars had a different kind of appeal as it was the last time a racing car bore any kind of resemblance to something that was seen on the road, Nichols is now transferring his engineering skills and appreciation for automotive heritage to the N1A.
Steve Nichols, Founder of Nichols Cars, said: “Racing cars of the 1960s are among some of the most elegant cars ever created, and that the early ‘60s cars had a different kind of appeal as it was the last time a racing car bore any kind of resemblance to something that was seen on the road.”
“We want the N1A to be a leader in promoting the idea of lightweight, powerful, and overall fun-to-drive sports cars that you can drive and use for all activities. Building a car that pays homage to the M1A is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. The biggest question mark was how well would the M1A lend itself to the process of “modernisation”? I had done some initial design concepts, which lead me to believe it could be very successful. The only thing to do was to go ahead, build something and find out. We’re very happy to see that the reaction to the N1A has been immensely positive so far, much like the reaction to Bruce McLaren’s original M1A when it debuted in 1963. I’m excited to see where the N1A will take its drivers, whether it’s on the track or on the way to the pub!”
CEO of Nichols Cars, John Minett, said: “Quite a lot of time was spent in the wind tunnel to get the final shape. With the reaction to the prototype being so positive, we made sure that any changes did not adversely compromise aesthetics. We wanted to create a beautiful car without being aerodynamically inefficient; the key idea was that there should be no lift. By re-profiling the rear deck, and the area around the nose of the car, we have been able to introduce a significant amount of downforce without compromising looks or drag.”