“Ford M81 McLaren: The rarest muscle car you didn't know you had!”

The phrase “1980s muscle cars” is unlikely to get enthusiasts excited. After the glory years of the American muscle car of the '60s and early '70s, when giant V8s happily gobbled up gasoline, a couple of fuel crises put an end to the heroes of quarter-mile racing. Of course, there are a few bright spots. For example, 1979 marked the beginning of Fox body Mustang production by Ford.
Ford is one of the most recognizable automotive brands on the planet, having revolutionized the industry over the years with some incredible vehicles including the Mustang, GT40, Maverick, and many others.
Although these Mustangs began their lives with comically weak engines, it was this decade that spawned Ford's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division. This led to the legendary Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and a number of iconic Blue Oval cars in the years that followed. However, only one of Ford's muscle cars can lay claim to being the rarest of all those built in the 1980s.
Ford built just 10 M81 McLaren Mustangs in 1980
When not talking about the muscle cars produced by Ford in the 1980s, perhaps only the Mustang II elicits more looks of horror from car enthusiasts. However, it was this ill-fated car that Ford was targeting in the late '70s.
In 1980, the Blue Oval wanted to bring some excitement back to the lineup, as well as revive the Ford Motorsports program.