McLaren F1 - Engine out...

[TISPKJ]

TurboTerrific9 said:

TISPKJ said:

Hi Gavin, out of interest would you say better in that sense than even the Zonda ? Or are you talking as purely an art form, I only ask as I have yet to see anything better put together than a Zonda

That's a difficult one. The Zonda is beautiful, and stunningly well made - all that exposed Carbon Fibre looks amazing. Build quality of the F1 probably just surpasses the Zonda when considering the age difference - I don't think Zonda's will be looking quite so stunning after 20 years of use.

I get the sense that the Zonda is designed to look fantastic whereas with the F1 it was built first with function in mind and the fact that it looks great was lower on the importance scale. The beauty of the F1 is the way everything on it is so purposeful and uncompromised. It's beauty is more related to the pure engineering.

The Zonda is a great car, it's a little shouty and blingy - and for a lot of folk that is exactly what a supercar should be - but I would suggest that can become tiresome over time. The Zonda falls short on driving position, sheer size of the car, and engine (that said it's still probably the 2nd best engine I've witnessed). The aero and brakes are the big plus, making it a much sharper track tool.

I remember looking at the Zonda in about 99 at a guess at the Geneva show, back then and now I guess the thing that really appealed was the use of stainless or titanium caphead bolts on everything, then in time the way the carbon weave lines up on all the components, just pure excellence of design and engineering, I am not a fan of some of the silly steering wheels and controls (like spyker)but the engineering is a work of art.
Would agree the F1 is probably the more purposeful track focused car which from an ex F1 car designer is hardly a suprise I suppose, both lovely bits of kit.

Forgetting the investment part of the equation, if they were both the same money with same or similar predicted future values and you could only have one which would it be ?

[SHutchinson]

You know when you're sitting in the house on a Thursday night and can't decide what to have for dinner so you opt for nipping in to town to pick up a portion of wontons and some shredded chilli beef, do you ever pop down in the F1?

[johnnyreggae]

Same idea on September 15 here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by johnnyreggae on Wednesday 17th December 10:45

[BlackpoolRock]

TurboTerrific9 said:

No - I can honestly say that red was not my first choice. I really like the F1 in dark silver or white (quite partial to the bronze/metallic brown car too). I would go as far as to say that the colour of the car used in the press brochures are normally the best, and stand the test of time - however the light silver is just too common (if there is such a thing in a low production run).

My choice was largely dictated by availability and the fact that I wanted to find a car in as original condition as possible,

That said, I think the red looks amazing 'in the flesh'' - it really works. I wouldn't change it for another colour now.

Fantastic thread TT9. I think yours is the same colour as Nick Mason's F1 bar the yellow GTR decals and wheels. Not normally a red fan unless its on a Ferrari but yours looks fantastic !

[z4RRSchris99]

need another son? Im up for adoption

[Peloton25]

BlackpoolRock said:

Fantastic thread TT9. I think yours is the same colour as Nick Mason's F1 bar the yellow GTR decals and wheels. Not normally a red fan unless its on a Ferrari but yours looks fantastic !

Gavin's F1 was painted 'Grand Prix Red' - Mason's GTR is a few shades darker. His GTR's color is called 'Blood Red'.

There is a Blood Red road car - chassis 021 - which lives over in Singapore and has a Black/Grey interior and very few miles on the odometer. There was also another Grand Prix Red road car produced - chassis 004 - but MSO have recently confirmed that car was written off. My guess is that it was the car in the collection of the Brunei Royal Family that was crashed.

>8^)
ER

[Pesty]

thanks for the pics.

awesome car.

[BelfastBoy]

TurboTerrific9 said:

That's a difficult one. The Zonda is beautiful, and stunningly well made - all that exposed Carbon Fibre looks amazing. Build quality of the F1 probably just surpasses the Zonda when considering the age difference - I don't think Zonda's will be looking quite so stunning after 20 years of use.

I get the sense that the Zonda is designed to look fantastic whereas with the F1 it was built first with function in mind and the fact that it looks great was lower on the importance scale. The beauty of the F1 is the way everything on it is so purposeful and uncompromised. It's beauty is more related to the pure engineering.

The Zonda is a great car, it's a little shouty and blingy - and for a lot of folk that is exactly what a supercar should be - but I would suggest that can become tiresome over time. The Zonda falls short on driving position, sheer size of the car, and engine (that said it's still probably the 2nd best engine I've witnessed). The aero and brakes are the big plus, making it a much sharper track tool.

Best post I've read on PH for a long time!

[Pommygranite]

TT9 - what was the actual process like buying an F1 and did you get to drive it before you bought it?

[Scousefella]

Gavin, considering the variety of exotica you have driven/owned/own I can only assume that the F1 is the pinnacle of your automotive experiences - although if I am wrong I would love to hear what is!

What interests me though is how you feel when driving amongst regular traffic, a car with such head turning and driver distracting qualities, do you feel nervous or afraid of what goes on around you? Trusting the abilities of the drivers around you in such a rare and valuable car must be an issue!!

Carl.

[Scousefella]

TurboTerrific9 said:

I'd almost cause a pileup as drivers and their passengers would try and film it whilst swerving across the lanes.

That would seriously scare the life out of me.

[Peloton25]

SHutchinson said:

You know when you're sitting in the house on a Thursday night and can't decide what to have for dinner so you opt for nipping in to town to pick up a portion of wontons and some shredded chilli beef, do you ever pop down in the F1?

Maybe not that specific scenario, but this image Gavin shared on Twitter might help answer the question.



>8^)
ER

Edited by Peloton25 on Friday 19th December 03:06

[Davey S2]

TurboTerrific9 said:

I would be hard pressed to choose between it and the SWB in terms of my favourite - but for very different reasons.

Although I've not driven either I'd have difficulty choosing any car over a 250 SWB. A manual Ferrari V12 wrapped up in what I consider to be the prettiest and most perfectly prortioned car ever made.

[porker9xx]

What do you think about 5th place in this list:

http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/nordschleife.html

Is this a stock car? From where is this car?
It is recent entry into a list, but there wasn't any promotion of this.

[Peloton25]

Seems from the link at the bottom of the page that just about anyone could add a time if they wanted. I don't know what sort of vetting is done or proof required before it gets published, but I find that entry hard to believe.

Same with the recent responses in the thread on their forum:

http://fastestlaps.com/cars/mclaren_f1.html#123346

>8^)
ER

[Mattymouse33]

joe_90 said:

Yes.. yes I am.. never ever have I seen anything like it as cringe worthy as that, He is treated like Ramesses the great,if you dare asked a question without offering your first born you would dishonour him and get banned. That is not the case. However, many still offer themselves/children before pledging a question requesting the colour of a wheel nut or SHOCK HORROR suggesting a change to the car.

Everyone on a forum is equal from a RR to a F1. (by RR I mean Reliant Robin)

anyway.. I have strayed off the topic of the car.. Which is fantastic, keep the photos coming - and don't look at your bank account.

Edited by joe_90 on Tuesday 16th December 14:50

Ok Joe

Edited by Mattymouse33 on Sunday 21st December 03:12

[HoggyR32]

Peloton25 said:

SHutchinson said:

You know when you're sitting in the house on a Thursday night and can't decide what to have for dinner so you opt for nipping in to town to pick up a portion of wontons and some shredded chilli beef, do you ever pop down in the F1?

Maybe not that specific scenario, but this image Gavin shared on Twitter might help answer the question.



>8^)
ER

Edited by Peloton25 on Friday 19th December 03:06

That's brilliant! Imagine nipping to B&Q and spotting an F1 in the car park!

[thegreenhell]

porker9xx said:

What do you think about 5th place in this list:

http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/nordschleife.html

Is this a stock car? From where is this car?
It is recent entry into a list, but there wasn't any promotion of this.

It's BS. Maybe someone decided to upload their laptime from Gran Turismo. Once upon a time one of the laptime pages listed the time as the aggregate time taken from four incomplete clips of Flemke's car on the Ring. I'd love to see a proper driver do a full lap of the track, but I suspect it would be a high 7 at best.

[Cheib]

P

TurboTerrific9 said:

Hi Carl.
Yes it's probably the ultimate in terms of driving experience although I would be hard pressed to choose between it and the SWB in terms of my favourite - but for very different reasons.

To be honest I don't think of its value when I'm driving it and the thing about the F1 is that it's really only petrol heads who get it, most wouldn't register, very different to the Zonda - I can recal many times driving on a motorway and having other drivers and their passengers leaning out of their windows trying to film it on their phones, often thumbs up with a big grin, swerving across the carriageways...

Edited by TurboTerrific9 on Thursday 18th December 21:56

Edited by TurboTerrific9 on Thursday 18th December 21:57

I can believe that...there's a Classic/Sports Car event on St John's Wood High St every year....biggest crowds were around a yellow 458 Speciale and a white Countach. I was drooling over the 250 SWB, 288 GTO, C Type etc virtually on my own!

Thanks for sharing your F1 experiences. Great to see these cars being owned and driven by genuine "car guys" as Jay Leno calls them!

[Pommygranite]

TurboTerrific9 said:

Pommygranite said:

Apologies if too personal but TT, what's the cost of the work - is there a normal supercar service cost and an F1 cost?!

I ask this as a genuine petrolhead intrigue rather just a nosey money question.

Sorry my dear old Mum told me never to talk about money

So, 'a lot' then

Small price to pay i presume in respect to the outcome.