Legendary Formula One designer Steve Nichols just rolled up to Pebble Beach and reminded everyone what a proper supercar should be. Meet the Nichols Cars N1A, a Can-Am-inspired British screamer that just made its US debut. And if the name Steve Nichols rings a bell, it should. He’s the bloke who designed the single most dominant F1 car in history, the McLaren MP4/4, which won 15 out of 16 races in 1988 in the hands of Senna and Prost. Now, he’s building a road car, and it’s every bit as focused as you’d hope.
The launch series, dubbed the ICON 88, is the most exclusive version. Only 15 will be built, each one tailored to commemorate one of those 15 Grand Prix victories from that magical ’88 season. With the first customer cars already in production, this isn’t just a concept; it’s happening.
Let’s get down to the glorious, analogue details. Under the swooping bodywork (which takes its spiritual cues from the original McLaren M1A) sits a proper, chest-thumping, 7.0-litre naturally aspirated V8. Developed from a GM LS3 block but heavily re-engineered with custom internals and a dry sump, it churns out a healthy 650 bhp. That power is sent, as the car gods intended, to the rear wheels via a Nichols-developed six-speed manual gearbox, complete with a Senna-inspired gear knob.
But power is nothing without control, and more importantly, without lightness. The entire body is made from Formula One-grade, graphene-infused carbon fibre. The result? The N1A weighs just 900 kilograms. That’s not a typo. 900 kilos. My last grocery bill weighed more. This gives it a power-to-weight ratio approaching a frankly terrifying 700 bhp per tonne.
This is a machine built for drivers, not posers. The driver aids are, shall we say, minimalist. Traction control is standard, but Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) and even power steering are on the options list. OPTIONS. In 2025. You’re expected to feel the double-wishbone suspension, the multi-piston brakes, and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres doing their thing, unencumbered by computer nannies. The cockpit reflects this ethos, with a reclined seating position reminiscent of the MP4/4, classic analogue dials, and bespoke billet-aluminium switchgear.
Founded in 2017 by Nichols and CEO John Minett, Nichols Cars has vowed to build fewer than 100 N1As in total, ensuring its exclusivity. Its appearance at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where Nichols himself also served as an Honorary Judge, wasn’t just a debut; it was a statement.
As founder Steve Nichols puts it, the car “combines the quirks and excitement of the great cars of the past with the technology and precision of today”. In a world of silent, soulless EVs and paddle-shift-only supercars, the N1A is an unfiltered, analogue, V8-powered antidote. It’s not just a car; it’s a 900kg celebration of everything that makes driving great.
