The McLaren M23 was developed on the basis of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 and was introduced in 1973 in its first guise as a Formula 1 contender. The M23 was powered by a Ford Cosworth DFV engine, prepared by Nicholson-McLaren Engines, a specialist tuning company. The finished unit produced around 490 bhp. The M23 was further developed during the 1975 season. Among other things, it received a six-speed gearbox, which was a genuine novelty in this era of Formula 1. Other developments included various bodywork updates, including aerodynamic kick-ups ahead of the rear wheels, revised front profiles and an extended body section ahead of the rear wheels, where the oil coolers were housed. Most of the changes were carried over to the M23D, introduced in 1976. This is a model of the M23D with which James Hunt finished third in the final race of the 1976 season in Japan. It secured him the World Championship title, and McLaren won its second Constructors' Championship. That was no easy task, especially since the M23 was already three years old at the time. At the end of the race, a conversation between two McLaren mechanics was overheard and published in The Autocar magazine. "After a finish like that and the season we've had, I'm going home now to write a screenplay about it and make a million out of it," said one to the other. "The only trouble is, I don't think anyone would believe it actually all happened like that." Thirty-seven years later, the film "Rush" was released, and the legendary story of McLaren's James Hunt beating Niki Lauda was finally told.
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