The Bruce McLaren Trust
The Bruce McLaren Trust was publicly launched at Wings & Wheels, Whenuapai, Auckland in March 1997. 
In July 1990 a small memorial trust had been formed to honour Bruce. Upon its closure in 1995, it was realised by the McLaren family and Ross Jensen that there was a need to form a permanent trust. Therefore in response to repeated demands to commemorate Bruce McLaren’s achievements and honour him as one of New Zealand’s international heroes, the new Trust was formed by Ross Jensen and Bruce’s younger sister Jan McLaren. The overall purpose of the Bruce McLaren Trust is to be a living working memorial to Bruce McLaren and the McLaren Team heritage. Bruce McLaren was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937 and was killed tragically whilst testing one of his cars at Goodwood circuit, England in June 1970. From the young school boy with Perthes Disease, strapped to a metal frame at the Wilson Home in Takapuna, Auckland, to a world class international motor racing driver, engineer and designer whose name is still used in Formula 1 motor racing today, is a remarkable achievement. With fellow New Zealanders, Denny Hulme and Chris Amon, Bruce took on the might of the international motor racing world and triumphed with enormous success. It was all about team work and there is no doubt that Bruce and his team did for New Zealand and New Zealand motorsport in the 1960s and 1970s what Sir Peter Blake and Team Black Magic have done for New Zealand and New Zealand yachting today.
News/Events
Fantastic
McLaren Auckland
The McLaren Senna has been designed with one thing in mind: to be the most track-focused road car they've ever built. Something we're sure Bruce would have been immensely proud of.
Official Greg Murphy takes a moment with New Zealand's first Senna at Hampton Downs to truly experience McLaren's DNA at its most extreme.
The purest connection between car and driver.
Special thanks to the Bruce McLaren Trust, Giltrap Group and Hampton Downs.
Ronald Lobjoit
Hey - we were just there, and they didn’t say a word.....
Fred Hamlett
Safe travels everyone over the festive season.
Even though we are officially closed if you are driving past and would like to visit please message us and we will see if we are available. Have a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year, Zeta & David
Trophy of the Month. This month it is a brass cup presented to Bruce at Bahamas Speed Week Governors Trophy Race - where Bruce finished second in the McLaren M1 sports car on 6th December 1964.
The trophy for this month is the trophy for winning the six race 1967 Canadian American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) series. The series that year was six races in total and with two wins and two seconds gave Bruce the points to be the overall series winner, he was driving the McLaren M6A-Chev.
Johnson Wax was the principle sponsor of the Canadian American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) and commissioned the cup that the Can-Am Challenge is all about. Not a cup at all, it is an abstract sculpture that seemed too offbeat for a racing trophy when it was first shown. It was called the “Floatile”, and has gained worldwide fame as the symbol of the richest racing series.
The picture is of Bruce & Denny's cars in the pits at the Stardust circuit in Las Vegas.
Epicness!!! Thank you for the description above; wonderful to put times/places/awards together... the M6A was quite the stunner and performer...
and to think some people have two of them
Great to see another successful car run to our Heritage centre this time from the American Muscle Car Club, with so much to see, easy location and parking this is a must do destination over the summer months, Thanks Earl Edwards for the great photos
Trophy this month celebrates the mighty Can-Am series the races for sports cars in North America with unrestricted rules. This trophy is part of the first year the series ran and is for the St Jovite round of 1966, where Bruce came second. The inscription 'Le Trophee Pepsi Cola Trophy Circuit Mount Tremblant St Jovite 1966'
Wow looks awesome, thanks for sending it to us. I don't recall seeing it before where is it?
This is at the site of Bridgehamton racecourse in The Hamptons, New York. The old track was bought for redevelopment but it was then (as I understand things) rejected by the planning authorities. So the owner built a world-class golf course instead, called ‘The Bridge’. Being a car lover, the clubhouse is amazingly fitted out with automotive art, incl this sculpture in the mens locker room! Quite a story and an incredible venue.
Hi everybody !.. I am a 64- Belgian motor racing writer and I just published my 7th book dedicated to one of my sixties idols, Bruce McLaren ! It's a 208 pages album with more than 350 pictures from the best photographers of that golden era ! But the texts are in French... I published this book as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Bruce's victory at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1968. It's also a tribute to the magnificent old Spa-Francorchamps circuit of 14,100 km which was my "garden" when I was young ! I presented this book last September at Goodwood Revival and I had the surprise to be very well appreciated by Ben Horton boss of the Hortons books company. And my friends of course took a picture of me at the Bruce McLaren memorial with the book. Great moment .... Best wishes to all of you. Motor racing books by Serge Dubois
The original start/finish structure remains there today along the entrance to the club
not a bad prize for second and the cash helped
Been meaning to tell you before, do you know about this amazing life-size sculpture?
And Chris Amon came 3rd driving the M1B team car which Bruce drove in the earlier part of 1966.
My last book dedicated to Bruce McLaren
My motor racing books
Our privilege to display a 1969 McLaren M10B F5000 Chev V8. This car was raced by Peter Gethin in the 1970 European Championship which it won. Current owner Poul Christie has very kindly lent the car to the Heritage Centre.
Fantastic day today with car enthusiast driving their "Fraser Cars" on a run and stopped by for a visit, Fraser Cars is New Zealand's largest car manufacturer now ☺
From October 1st NEW Hours Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 10 till 4. Other days times please contact us.
Scott Dixon day 24 September 2018.When you’re a 5x IndyCar Series Champ, #Indy500 winner AND it’s the Born Racer Movie premier day, you get an entire day dedicated to you. Happy #DixonDay, Scott Dixon!
Just don't hold your breath waiting for the NZ goverment to do anything!!
Scott Huntley
Fred Hamlett
Awesome 👍 🇳🇿🏁🇳🇿🏁🇳🇿🏁 Go Scotty 👌
Huge thanks to John Ellerslie Jewellers for his support of our Heritage Centre by providing the polish that makes the trophies shine, sparkle and reflect - everything that Bruce accomplished.
Congratulations Scott Dixon who has just won his 5th IndyCar title — the first person to win five titles since AJ Foyt more than 50 years agoYou can always #BankOnThe9! Scott Dixon is your 2018 IndyCar Series Champion!
Congratulations Scott and Team ya bloody LEGENDS!😁
Congratulation's Scott dixon Well Done Great Wheelin,
Some fantastic footage about a replica of Bruce McLaren's first race car a 1929 750cc Austin Ulster on display at Southwards Car Museum. Trustee Duncan Fox talks about the car and the movie the car was built to feature in.
Bruce McLaren's replica race car on display
radionz.co.nz
The replica of the first car raced by Bruce McLaren featured in last year's documentary about the legendary Kiwi-born Formula One driver has just gone on display at the Southward Car Museum&comma...;
What most folks dont realise is that the Heritage Centre has the actual Austin 7 that Bruce learnt to drive in gifted by past trustee Graeme McKenzie.
Here it is at the Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre
Fred Hamlett
Trophy of the Month for September. In 1961 Bruce McLaren & Jack Brabham drove for the Cooper Car Co. based in Surbiton near London. The Surbiton Town Kart Club awarded a trophy to the 'Winner of the Silver Jubilee Race' held at Riverhill on the 24th Sept 1961. The full inscription on the Trophy reads "Surbiton Town Kart Club The Cooper Silver Jubilee Cup Donated by the Cooper Car Co. of Surbiton to the winner of the Silver Jubilee Race at Riverhill 24th Sept 1961. The photo is of Bruce on the left with Jack on the right. Caption! Rubbing is racing!
McLaren
Remembering our inspirational founder, Bruce McLaren, on his birthday with this exclusive footage from our first F1 win in 1968.
Happy Birthday, Bruce.
Happy Birthday Bruce McLaren. Bruce was born on 30th August 1937 and would have been 81 today. The picture I have chosen is of Bruce leaving for the first leg of his trip as 'Driver to Europe' in 1958 - and the beginning of his international success.
The start of an automotive empire....
That's a great photo and to think if things had have turned out otherwise Bruce could easily still been alive. Rip Bruce.
Looks like he's ready to take on the world!
Happy Birthday Bruce... always inspiring, Thank you.
How “dapper” does he look!😀
Michael Manning did you guys celebrate at HQ by doing some skids?
Fred Hamlett
We were visited yesterday by the Mens Club from Possum Bourne Retirement Village - 3 van loads of guys. Great to see you all thanks so much for the fascinating stories and your wonderful feedback about our centre.
McLaren Auckland
The Project NZ filmed a short interview piece with Amanda McLaren last week exploring the links the brand has between New Zealand and the UK, along with the rise of McLaren Automotive – The Official Page in carrying Bruce’s legacy forward.
"We are a British company but the Kiwi heritage, New Zealand heritage is still absolutely there"
This was great to see on National TV, but found it incredible the hosts didnt even realise about the little Kiwi still on the cars and other links, what is wrong with our own people knowing our heritage. More exposure like this please.
Dean Tee
McLaren Auto have become the anti-thesis of BMMR & McLaren Racing in my humble opinion. While that is a wonderful opportunity for 1 (only 1???) NZ engineer, why oh why is NZ and the McLaren legacy, glarringly missing from history and not supported by this now "british" company... I will gladly admit I am an incredibly biased NZ'er and astonished it has taken till 2017 to discover and learn about our NZ car racing/engineering/design/innovation history, provided by Bruce (Pop Les, Jack Brabham etc), which (IMHO) is the basis of ALL motor sport (and I'd say industry) today... Thank you Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre. :)
Amazing 👌 fantastic to see 🏁🇳🇿🏁🇳🇿🏁🇳🇿
Jed Fitzharris
check out the Bruce Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre a great snapshot on the team
Tony Thacker
We have so much priceless memorabilia that we need to keep safe and secure . To help with this SLS Security Group have very kindly donated a fantastic large fire proof document cabinet. Thanks to David Morrrissey at SLS Security Group. www.slsgroup.co.nz Thanks also to Giltrap Prestige for covering the cost to deliver the safe to the Heritage Centre. We are always extremely grateful for people thinking of us and supporting our Heritage Centre items like this will become part of the furniture (pun intended).
Were is the Bruce McLaren trust Building would like to visit one day when we are in Auckland.
Beautiful... Epicness all 'round!
What a bunch of good buggers they are.
Wow , you 3 look like the life of the party
Many thanks for your wonderful gesture to all involved.
The weather was amazing for members of North Island Model A Ford Club to visit yesterday. 14 cars made the most of the day and they ranged from a woody, speedster, saloons, two door model with dicky seat and a pick up amoung others. New around the 1930's all were a credit to their owners. Thanks for thinking of us as a place to visit and thanks for the interesting stories.
The trophy of the month celebrates Bruce McLaren's win in the Formula 2 class and fifth overall at the mighty Nurburgring in Germany. A round of the Formula 1 Grand Prix for both F1 and F2 cars held on 3rd August 1958. A challenging circuit of 23km in length with 176 corners. The race was 342km or 15 laps! Bruce competed in a 1750cc Cooper-Climax and was 20 years old. The left trophy "Ehrenpreis Der Goetzewerke A.G. Bursoheid, XX Zum Grossen Preis von Deutscland 3.8.58, Auf dem Nurburgring" and the right "Dem Sieger Grosser / Grossen Preis von Deutschland Rennwagen, Formel 2 Nurburgring 1958."
Bruce had to wait till the Monaco GP in May of 1959 where as an F1 driver his fifth place did get him points - 2 towards the Championship. He would finish the year with 16.5 points and sixth place in the Championship.
those names are a mouthful to say
And fifth place wasn't recognized with f1 points unfortunately
Fred Hamlett
We were proud to welcome around 20 members of the Northern Sports Car Club to our Heritage Centre. They are long term friends and protectors of all things Bruce. Great that they could see the M8D bodywork that was used in the the McLaren movie and the other cars on display. Thanks again for all you support.
Did the M8 use a big block Chevrolet engine or small block? Did McLaren use both in the 60's and early 70's?
We are proud to look after NZ motorsport history we are even more proud when we are offered an awesome framed picture to add to our collection they helps tell the story of NZ motorsport. This is the 1961 Adrmore Grand Prix a fantastic action shot of the field with Bruce McLaren in car 47. Thanks so much David & Moana Turner for such a generous gift for everyone to enjoy.
