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Ford Mustang McLaren M81
The late ’70s and early ’80s were bad times for muscle cars, but there were some cool-looking special versions Detroit released in that period. One of those is the famous M81 McLaren Mustang. This interesting car was built with the help of the well-known McLaren racing team at their American operation office from Michigan.
The whole idea behind the project was to take the 2.3-liter turbo engine from the regular Mustang and transform it into a street racing beast. It would include a race-tuned suspension, lightweight body, and a host of other modifications. McLaren and Ford installed a tuned turbo engine with 190 HP, which was a big number, especially coming from 2.3-liters. They also changed the looks of the Ford Mustang.
The result was a good performance and driving dynamics, but also a high price tag. Ford offered the McLaren M81 for $25,000, which was roughly three times the price of a regular Ford. Even though they installed lots of improvements in the M81, it was a tough seller. Ford only sold about 10 before they canceled the project.