Tag: McLaren F1

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Rowan Atkinson crashes his McLaren F1

Rowan Atkinson, McLaren F1

Reports from the UK bring word that Rowan Atkinson has been hospitalised after crashing his McLaren F1. Although it has been described that Atkinson “cheated death” he suffered only a minor shoulder injury.

It’s understood the 56-year-old comedian lost control of the car and it spun three times before crashing into a tree then a street light sign. He was able to free himself from the wreckage and was assisted by a witness until emergency crews arrived.

The Sun is quoting a source as saying, “It’s a miracle that he managed to walk away from the crash. He’s a very lucky man.

“The car was a wreck, really badly damaged. Rowan must be absolutely gutted.”

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McLaren

Twenty years of the McLaren F1

McLaren F1

One of the world’s most significant sportscars has just celebrated its 20th birthday. The car in question, of course, is the McLaren F1. The trainspotters among you will know the F1 didn’t actually have its official launch until 28 May 1992, and customer deliveries didn’t commence until 1993. But with this party McLaren Automotive honoured the date of the car’s immaculate conception, if you will.

It was in March 1990 that the McLaren F1 road car team first met. Twenty years later their creation still claims to be the fastest normally-aspirated production car of all time.

Just 106 F1s were made and 21 examples gathered at the company’s Woking headquarters in Surrey to celebrate the car’s birthday party. In production for less than 10 years the F1 achieved great success at whatever it turned its hand to, including winning the Le Mans 24 hour at its first attempt.

Not sure about you but the F1 is firmly entrenched in the AUSmotive top 10 list, to even get close enough to one to touch it would likely send this author into fits of convulsion. Something that did actually happen back at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix. To drive one, well, that’d be up there as one of life’s great memories.

More detail and pics from McLaren after the break. Hip, hip, hooray!

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Oh the humanity

Oh, the humanity!

McLaren F1 burns

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection into eternal life.

This sorry sight is what happened after the owner took his 1995 McLaren F1 for a run after six months in storage. The car is now a total write off. If every cloud has a silver lining, this one is that the F1 was insured for US$3 million.

[Source: Press Democrat via Jalopnik]

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McLaren News

Dream car sells for dream price

McLaren F1 sells at auction for £2.5M

Bit of a catch up post this one. Last October this 1997 McLaren F1 sold at auction in London for £2.5M (AU$5.4M). The sale price was a new record for a McLaren F1 and almost double the estimated sale price. Given the doom and gloom that has followed since you’d reckon the result should remain a record for quite some time.

I’m sure I’m not alone in holding the Macca F1 up as one of the greatest cars ever made. When the car was released I was seduced by its looks, its performance and its aura. Little has changed in the decade and a half since. The F1 still has awe inspiring performance that few cars can match.

I was holding off on posting this article on the off chance my wife had bought it for me for Christmas. Maybe the car has been held up in customs?

Source: autoblog and RM Auctions

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