This Gulf-liveried Mirage M6's looks transcend speed
Such is the universally agreed beauty of the iconic Gulf livery, you can’t simply walk past a car wearing those colours. And when that car is the drop-dead gorgeous Mirage M6, you kind of have no choice but to investigate after your jaw hits the ground.
If only this car’s story was as spectacular as it looks. It’s a classic motorsport white elephant. A development of the open-top DFV powered cars, the M6 was a closed-cockpit engine-swapped last chance grab at Le Mans in 1973. It was not successful. The Weslake 3.0-litre V12 built for the car was reluctant to start, and when it did, the car was no great shakes, clocking lap times 16 seconds off the pace of the more conventional Cosworth-engined cars. Not to be discouraged, they flew it out to Daytona for the 24, with similarly poor results. Recurring starting problems in the updated V12 and an overheating gearbox rendered the poor M6 an utterly stunning but ultimately uncompetitive failure.
The car thereafter was modified to the more conventional GR7 open-top specification for the ’74 season, before falling into private hands. Roof back on, and with a DFV V8 amidships, the former-M6 went racing across the States through the ‘80s.
Here the story of the car as it is now, begins. The owner began a quest to return the car to its original, unique, Le-Mans-hopeful state. A full bodywork restoration including that delicious yet comically long Mulsanne straight-friendly tail ensued, with a 3.0-litre V12 heart transplant to follow. Once returned to its unique original spec', the car got the attention of the Rofgo collection. A considerable financial exchange later, and the car is, as of a week ago, back on our side of the Atlantic in the blue and orange Rofgo ranks. 75MM is the car’s first outing, and a static one at that. They’ve barely had time to polish it, and it’s barely shaken off the jet lag, but we are so glad it’s here. Some sportscars are so indisputably beautiful that they transcend their less than auspicious motorsport careers. Here’s hoping Rofgo get it running like it never has, and that we might see the M6 flourish yet.
For now, savour the quintessentially eccentric yet stunning ‘70s sportscar aesthetics in the extensive gallery above.
Photography by Tom Shaxson
75MM
Gulf
2017
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