Ayrton Senna’s former engineer, Steve Nichols, has unveiled the Nichols N1A, a 730bhp road-legal supercar inspired by the Can-Am racers of the 1960s. The vehicle, a project undertaken with Nichols Cars CEO John Minett, draws heavily from the design of Bruce McLaren’s 1964 M1A, the precursor to the iconic Can-Am series.
Nichols, who designed the McLaren MP4/4 that propelled Senna to his first Formula 1 World Championship in 1988, and later engineered Mika Häkkinen’s championship-winning cars, has applied his expertise to a exceptionally different automotive challenge. The MP4/4, driven by Senna and Alain Prost, achieved 15 victories from 16 races in the 1988 season, dominating the sport.
The N1A is not a mere recreation of the M1A, but a modern interpretation. It features a bonded aluminium chassis, developed with Bob Mustard, known for his pioneering work in this construction method at BMW Rover Group in the 1990s – a technique that later influenced the Lotus Elise. Structural elements are reinforced with carbon fibre, with a carbon front subframe currently in development.
Powering the N1A is a 7.0-litre V8 engine, based on the Chevrolet LS7, prepared by Langford Performance Engineering. The engine, equipped with individual throttle bodies, produces 730bhp. Drive is delivered through a Graziano six-speed manual gearbox, the same unit used in the first-generation Audi R8 and manual Lamborghini Gallardo.
The production version of the N1A is projected to weigh 890kg with fluids, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of approximately 820bhp per tonne – exceeding that of a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. The car’s bodywork is constructed from graphene-infused carbon fibre, a material Nichols pioneered in Formula 1, and has been refined using wind tunnel testing at MIRA in the UK.
The interior of the N1A features leather trim and components milled from solid billet aluminum. The driving position is reclined, mirroring that of the MP4/4, and the gearshift knob is a tribute to Ayrton Senna. The N1A is larger than the original M1A, and rides on 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
The Nichols N1A is priced around £500,000.