ICON ‘88 Edition
The arrival of the Nichols N1A deserves an exclusive edition to reflect the significance of such a powerful, lightweight, and beautiful machine.
To this effect, the first fifteen cars will be numbered editions, bearing the legend “ICON ‘88”, each one individually tailored to reflect either your own individual design choice, or one of the fifteen race wins of the Steve Nichols-designed McLaren MP4/4 during the 1988 season in the hands of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
In 1988 the MP4/4 re-wrote the record books, winning an unprecedented fifteen out of sixteen races, including ten one/twos, to make it the most successful F1 car of all time. Its record stood until Red Bull’s incredible 2023 season, but it’s worth noting that Red Bull, whilst incredibly impressive, did not achieve as many second places and was soundly beaten in Singapore.
The MP4/4 should have won all sixteen races to make it the perfect season, but for the fact that Ayrton Senna was taken out whilst lapping a backmarker, cruising to what would have been another victory in the Italian Grand Prix. So in every race it entered the MP4/4 was totally dominant.
Given this, it’s ironic that in its first appearance the MP4/4 was a resounding last.
Prior to the 1988 season the rest of the F1 grid had spent the best part of two weeks at the Imola circuit in Italy testing their latest challengers prior to the start of the campaign.
By the time the MP4/4 appeared pretty much everybody had already gone home.
Design of the MP4/4 had only started in earnest late in the day when confirmation of the Honda engine deal had come through. Head of design Steve Nichols didn’t want to compromise the car by having to allow for a number of possible engines.
Initially, Steve was meant to be overseeing the naturally aspirated car (the 4/5) for the following year, with newcomer to the team Neil Oatley responsible for the 4/4. Late in the day, Steve was asked by Ron Dennis if he minded if the roles were reversed as Neil was new to the team. The structure was subsequently confirmed in an email from Gordon Murray making clear the responsibility.
1988 was to be year of transience between the end of the turbo era cars and the new generation naturally aspirated ones with a whole of host of new regulations coming into play for anyone producing a new car, which the 4/4 clearly was.
Fresh out of the box the 4/4 was clearly in a different league to the opposition.
Alain Prost took the first stint behind the wheel and within a few laps came into the pits declaring that it would win the championship: his main concern being that they should not show how much faster it was than everyone else.
When it was Ayrton Senna’s turn to take the wheel in the afternoon, Prost tried to persuade him that he should take things steadily.
After a few laps, Senna came into the pits and sat for a moment reflecting in the cockpit.
“This car is f***king quick,” he said.
And so it proved……….
1988 F1 World Championship
NO GRAND PRIX DATE WINNER TEAM LAPS TIME
1 1988 Brazilian F1 GP Apr-03 Prost McLaren 60 01:36:07
2 1988 San Marino F1 GP May-01 Senna 2/Prost McLaren 60 01:32:41
3 1988 Monaco F1 GP May-15 Prost McLaren 78 01:57:17
4 1988 Mexican F1 GP May-29 Prost 2/Senna McLaren 67 01:30:16
5 1988 Canadian F1 GP Jun-12 Senna 2/Prost McLaren 69 01:39:47
6 1988 Detroit F1 GP Jun-19 Senna 2/Prost McLaren 63 01:54:56
7 1988 French F1 GP Jul-03 Prost 2/Senna McLaren 80 01:37:37
8 1988 British F1 GP Jul-10 Senna McLaren 65 01:33:16
9 1988 German F1 GP Jul-24 Senna 2/Prost McLaren 44 01:32:54
10 1988 Hungarian F1 GP Aug-07 Senna 2/Prost McLaren 76 01:57:47
11 1988 Belgian F1 GP Aug-28 Senna 2/Prost McLaren 43 01:28:01
12 1988 Italian F1 GP Sep-11 Berger Ferrari 51 01:17:40
13 1988 Portuguese F1 GP Sep-25 Prost McLaren 70 01:37:41
14 1988 Spanish F1 GP Oct-02 Prost McLaren 72 01:48:44
15 1988 Japanese F1 GP Oct-30 Senna 2/Prost McLaren 51 01:33:26
16 1988 Australian F1 GP Nov-13 Prost 2/Senna McLaren 82 01:53:15
The ICON ‘88 Edition of the Nichols N1A is a very special car.
It takes advantage of the full options package available for the N1A to deliver a vehicle of phenomenal performance.
Mechanically, the cars will feature a number of optional extras as standard including:
Superlite carbon composite body
Hand fabricated inconel exhaust system
Carbon composite wheels
Competition ceramic brake system
Switchable track-use ABS
7 litre (427 cu in) Langford Chevrolet V8 - 630 bhp
Traction control
Cockpit engine map selection
Front lifting suspension
Ayrton Senna’s colours.
Alain Prost’s colours.
Bolster shape & fully adjustable driver’s seat.
The result is sure to be a valuable collectors’ item and investment.
Each car features a graphics package to commemorate every one of the individual race wins of the MP4/4. Owners are able to choose a particular victory achieved by either Prost or Senna. The colour scheme is entirely down to the customer, as is the interior trim. If something beyond this is specified, such as a multiple colour scheme or livery, the owner gets the chance to work with our designers and will receive a full rendering for approval.
Every car has unique badging to reflect the event it is celebrating.
And every car is hand-signed and numbered as befits the work of art the ICON ‘88 Edition surely is.
Ayrton Senna & Steve Nichols confer
