In 1993, ex-Formula 1 grease monkey Gordon Murray realised his long-time vision for the ultimate supercar. Persuading BMW to make a unique engine just for his dream car, the final result is a car powered by a high-revving 627 hp V12, clothed in the sleekest and lightest of bodyworks and housing a unique driving position similar to a one-seater race car. Limited to only a 100 specimens, a quarter of which were racing versions, this million- dollar car only goes up in value.
Penned by celebri
ty designer Peter Stevens, the carbon fiber body is small on the outside, but actually houses an amazing three people - a driver and two passengers. No other supercar can yet claim to do so. Build quality is excellent, with opening compartments around the car that can hold small amounts of luggage. The central driving position is hard to get into, but makes for ideal weight distribution, plus allows two passengers on either side, some way behind the driver. The Ameritech US-spec version has some bodywork enhancements to pass NHTSA crash tests, but it is also slower than the original European model. Other versions include the rare F1 LM, race-spec F1 GTR and revised F1 GT.
The 6.1L V12 engine, developed by BMW's M Power division exclusively for the McLaren, is rev-limited to 7500 rpm in stock form. Made up magnesium, aluminum and carbon fiber bits to save weight, it even has gold spread out on the engine as a heat resistant material. The 627 hp, though, is a little excessive for the chassis, so handling is not as good as, say, a Ferrari F50. Abundant in technology such as fan-assisted ground effects and retractable rear spoiler, it lacks some basics such as ABS.
The first McLaren underwent high-speed testing in 1993, breaking the Jag's street-legal top speed record, with a figure of 231 mph using a pre-production 585 hp engine. Five years later, a proper production model, with a disabled rev-limiter allowing the engine to rev to 7800 rpm, officially clocked up 240 mph, which remains unbeaten. Moreover, the F1 can speed to 200 mph in only 28 seconds, which is proving hard to beat.