Thursday 30th October 2008

McLaren F1 sells for £2.5m at London auction

London sale star sets new world record

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Going, going, gone

RM auctions set a new benchmark price for values of the McLaren F1 last night, selling the former Park Lane show car for £2.3m at its “Automobiles of London” sale in Battersea Park.

The car, chassis number 65 and the last of the road cars to be sold, has an impressive story associated with it, which perhaps helps to explain the extraordinary price paid for the car. Built in 1997 as the last road going F1 ever produced, it sat for many years in the company’s Park Lane showroom and as such is probably the most famous of the road going cars.

Magnesium, Gold and Unobtanium.

Until its sale last night it has had only one owner and covered only 484km since leaving the factory. Despite this the car has had the usual meticulous (and, we would imagine, reassuringly costly) McLaren service, with the owner even flying a McLaren mechanic to Asia to service the car 12 months ago before a full service at Woking ahead of the sale.

The car was rumoured to have been sold to a Houston based collector and, whilst he’s £2.5m lighter this morning, he is a very, very lucky individual.

[wrightman90]

Greatest car ever made without doubt.

[nightwalker]

+1 Superb motor.

[gumsie]

wrightman90 said:

Greatest car ever made without doubt.

Really? I mean if were allowed to drive ONLY that car for the rest of your life would you?
I wouldn't. It's an achievement, but the greatest? Na.

[d8ean]

It was great to witness the bidding, YO!

[needham]

A few months ago the $/£ rate was 2 to 1. He bought yesterday at 1.5 to 1, a saving to the US buyer of $1,200,000. He got a bargain.

[Jim V-6]

What a waste. "Only driving 484km since leaving the factory."

[Davi]

article said:

Until its sale last night it has had only one owner since new and covered only 484km since leaving the factory.

absolutely criminal. How could you buy that and not drive it?!

[Jdavis]

so this isn't Flemke's Mclaren?

[Uncle Fester]

Recession, what recession?

[POORCARDEALER]

Blimey........we sourced a car for a client in 99 for under 450K.

[Turbo Sarnie]

Still my dream car! One of these and an F40 sitting in my garage!

[dpbird90]

gumsie said:

wrightman90 said:

Greatest car ever made without doubt.

Really? I mean if were allowed to drive ONLY that car for the rest of your life would you?
I wouldn't. It's an achievement, but the greatest? Na.

I would happily drive an F1 for the rest of my life. What I wouldn't be happy with is 6mpg and £35k a pop servicing.
I would say it is the greatest car ever made. It's not the fastest any more, but round a track I think it would kill any supercar going, even the Veyron, but perhaps not the Caparo T1, if that could last a lap without breaking down.
A McLaren F1 LM, in Papaya Orange, is my all time dream car. Just a shame the last one not in the hands of a private collector is going to be Lewis' new company car if he gets the business done this Sunday.

[Healey73]

Credit crunch-tastic

[SleeperCell]

gumsie said:

wrightman90 said:

Greatest car ever made without doubt.

Really? I mean if were allowed to drive ONLY that car for the rest of your life would you?
I wouldn't. It's an achievement, but the greatest? Na.

Greatest car is probably a bit much, it's probably the greatest 'supercar' though.

[AngryS3Owner]

dpbird90 said:

I would happily drive an F1 for the rest of my life. What I wouldn't be happy with is 6mpg and £35k a pop servicing.

Read some of Flemke's thread before you start babbling would you.

[Geronimo]

Davi said:

article said:

Until its sale last night it has had only one owner since new and covered only 484km since leaving the factory.

absolutely criminal. How could you buy that and not drive it?!

Indeed. And it's now gone to another "collector", so it will doubtless sit in a room it's entire life. Might as well have bought a painting.

[Wadeski]

I very much doubt it would kill a modern supercar around a track. I would wager a top spec Zonda, or Enzo would happily see it off. Sure, they are heavier, but brakes, downforce aero and tires have come on a long way.

I'd still rather have the McLaren though.

[sniff diesel]

Uncle Fester said:

Recession, what recession?

People with money will always have the money I suppose. They will have been waiting to buy a car like this for years untill the right one comes on the market.

[chunkymonkey71]

Turbo Sarnie said:

Still my dream car! One of these and an F40 sitting in my garage!

Me too! You have great taste!

[trackdemon]

Shame it wont get driven..... I bet it'll spend its life hidden in an airconditioned garage