A Technological Masterpiece
Power, pace and peerless quality, the legendary McLaren F1 is a technological masterpiece. The fastest production car of its time. The finest sports car of its generation. For many, the greatest supercar ever built.
Power , pace and peerless quality, the legendary McLaren F1 is a technological masterpiece. The fastest production car of its time. The finest sports car of its generation. For many, the greatest supercar ever built.
September 11, 1988. The F1 race season was more than halfway completed, and McLaren was well on its way to dominance with its MP4/4 race car, going on to win 15 of the 16 races that season with drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. While waiting for a flight after the Italian Grand Prix, four McLaren luminaries discussed the company's future. McLaren had already pioneered the use of carbon fiber in the world of racing, and had been designing and building cars without comprise for the track. It was time to take it to the road.
Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, it was decided by F1 boss, Ron Dennis, that if McLaren were to proceed, it would need to build the finest car ever developed for the road.
“The more we discussed it, the more it appealed to me. One thing was certain, if McLaren was going to build a sports car, it would not only be the finest sports car the world had ever seen, but also the finest sports car the world was ever going to see,” said Murray.
ENGINEERED TO PERFECTION:
It took four years to meticulously plan, design and build the all-conquering F1. The F1 is legendary for many of its extraordinary features – the 3-seat configuration, the use of gold foil in the engine bay, the pioneering use of a carbon fiber frame in a road-going car, and a built-in 14.4k modem for sending diagnostic information to the factory, back when Internet was not a household commodity. At the same time, the F1 is considered by many to be the last great analog car ever built – featuring a naturally aspirated 618-hp BMW V12 engine and a six-speed manual gearbox, chosen for increased reliability and driver control.
Beautifully engineered and exceptionally quick, the F1 broke numerous world records during the 1990s, and it remains the fastest naturally aspirated road car ever built – hitting 240.1mph.
THE F1 GOES RACING:
Though Murray never intended to take the car racing, customer demand prompted the creation of the F1 GTR. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, the F1 GTR achieved a feat no other debutante manufacturer had ever managed: McLaren not only won the race, but it also dominated the podium, occupying four of the top five places. In the span of 24 magical hours, the greatest supercar of its generation became the most successful British race car of modern times.
To mark the F1 GTR's historic win in what is widely regarded as the world's greatest motor race, five road going editions inspired by the winning race car were produced. Lighter and more powerful than the standard F1, and with a distinctive carbon fiber wing and splitter, the McLaren F1 LM is the fastest accelerating and most sought-after variant of the iconic McLaren F1.
After the sensationally quick F1 LM, McLaren built the final iteration of the F1, the 'Longtail'. Known as the ‘Longtail' because of the longer front and rear overhangs, the car also has a distinctive air intake and large rear spoiler that distinguishes it from other F1s. With a higher specification interior and slightly higher gearing, the F1 GT is the final chapter in the history of one of the world's greatest ever road cars. Just three examples were built, satisfying FIA homologation rules to make a race car version possible.
Only 106 total cars were made in a limited production run, making the McLaren F1 one of the most exclusive cars in the world today. The greatest supercar ever built? Indeed.