Nichols Cars N1A is an old-school Can-Am racer for the street

Nichols Cars has unveiled a no-nonsense speedster called the N1A. This lightweight sports car draws inspiration from the McLaren M1A Group 7 race car from the 1960s.

The Nichols Cars N1A has classic Can-Am racer looks, featuring a low-slung front nose section with flared wheel arches on either side and a low front scuttle. There is exposed rollover protection just behind the seats and wing mirrors mounted on the front fenders.

The N1A might look like it is from the 1960s, however, it is built around a carbon fibre and aluminium chassis with an overall weight of just 900 kg. The car rides on independent double wishbone suspension and is fitted with 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

Powering the N1A is a 7.0-liter V8 engine based on the LS3, which churns out 650 hp. It gets a dry sump lubrication system, drive-by-wire throttle bodies, along with custom pistons and conrods. The engine is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Now, founder Steve Nichols is a motorsport engineer who has worked on the McLaren MP4/3 and MP4/4, among other F1 race cars. The company plans to build 100 examples of the N1A, of which the first 15 cars will be individually numbered as a nod to the MP4/4’s 15 Formula 1 race wins.