McLarens in dealerships around the world

[F1GTRUeno]

Whilst trying to find out where cars are located for my spreadsheet I remembered that McLaren have Unit 2.

Whilst trying to identify the cars in there I came across the realisation that most of them have been taken out and delivered to different dealerships around the world.

I know currently McLaren Manchester (Knutsford) doesn't have one, though they did have a 2006 car a few years back.

McLaren Ascot have swapped their LARK F1 GTR for an MP4/8 from 1993.

Does anybody have a clue what is being displayed in any of the other showrooms around the world at the minute?

Here's Unit 2 in any case so if anyone can help me formulate a list of what's in there at the time of these photos that'd be a massive help, cheers!

http://skiddmark.com/2011/07/unit-2-where-mclarens...

https://www.mclaren.com/formula1/2012/Australian-G...

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/opinion/ben-...

Edited by F1GTRUeno on Sunday 31st December 22:52

[Vaud]

You could call or email the dealers? Or call McLaren press office and say you are writing a blog piece on McLaren history? (I wouldn't tell them you are compiling a spreadsheet, might sound a bit stalker/targeted!)

[JerryDXB]

I believe that the dealers had to pay McLaren to display the F1 cars? The Dubai dealer handed their's back a long time ago ... I suspect many of the other dealers have done the same.

[F1GTRUeno]

Vaud said:

You could call or email the dealers? Or call McLaren press office and say you are writing a blog piece on McLaren history? (I wouldn't tell them you are compiling a spreadsheet, might sound a bit stalker/targeted!)

I messaged their facebook page though I suppose it'd be easier to email them.

Tried to explain that I didn't want owner details or anything like that, just a country but you're right in that it could come across a bit stalkery.

There's so many cars in the Unit 2 photos that I can't identify them all.

I think the ones on the back wall in Marlboro colours are MP4/6's but the West cars especially look the same.

[Evolved]

I’d be surprised if they handed out locations of their cars over the phone/email.

It sounds like a hit list is being compiled.

[dr_gn]

There was an MP4/7 in the Milan showroom a couple of years back.

[williamp]

Obviously Donington have a fair few. Do you know how many F1 cars they tend to make each year? And how many show cars?

[F1GTRUeno]

williamp said:

Obviously Donington have a fair few. Do you know how many F1 cars they tend to make each year? And how many show cars?

I've got a rough idea of how many were made of each chassis.

Showcars are obviously tricky but short of going to the museums and breaking the rules by climbing into the cockpits to find the chassis plate I'll be struggling.

[Some Gump]

Always something f1 shaped in knutsford.

[DanielSan]

Some Gump said:

Always something f1 shaped in knutsford.

Just a 675/650 and a couple of 570’s when I went past last week.

[StevieBee]

I would suggest it likely that most of the F1 cars used for promotional displays are show cars rather than the actual race cars. The cost of shipping and insuring race-provenance cars would be excessively high.

Some of them are indistinguishable from the original until you take the body work off.

I attended a F1 themed ball in London in 2005 and on the stage was a Toyota and Renault F1 car. The Toyota was a show car but the Renault was Alonso's actual car (or test car IIRC). Despite some modicum of security, some drunk tubby woman climbed in and got wedged, requiring the Fire Brigade to be called to cut her out; completely wrecking the monocoque.

I think there's a chap who posts here who makes and manages F1 show cars who may offer more insight.

[rev-erend]

It may be a good idea to get in contact with Neil Trundel as I think he still runs the McLaren Historic section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondel_Racing

[Vaud]

rev-erend said:

It may be a good idea to get in contact with Neil Trundel as I think he still runs the McLaren Historic section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondel_Racing

Though there is the over riding question of, “why do you want this data?”

[dr_gn]

F1GTRUeno said:

Vaud said:

You could call or email the dealers? Or call McLaren press office and say you are writing a blog piece on McLaren history? (I wouldn't tell them you are compiling a spreadsheet, might sound a bit stalker/targeted!)

I think the ones on the back wall in Marlboro colours are MP4/6's but the West cars especially look the same.

The MP4/6 nose bodywork was pointed (matched the red Marlboro chevron in front ot the windscreen. The ones on the back wall are MP4/5 or 4/5B's (or maybe even the MP4/5C if it still exists).

[R8Steve]

StevieBee said:

Despite some modicum of security, some drunk tubby woman climbed in and got wedged, requiring the Fire Brigade to be called to cut her out; completely wrecking the monocoque.

If this is a true story then

[rev-erend]

Vaud said:

rev-erend said:

It may be a good idea to get in contact with Neil Trundel as I think he still runs the McLaren Historic section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondel_Racing

Though there is the over riding question of, “why do you want this data?”

Very good point, as these cars are not exactly road cars.

Do McLaren ever sell their old race cars or do they retain ownership of them all ?

[dr_gn]

rev-erend said:

Vaud said:

rev-erend said:

It may be a good idea to get in contact with Neil Trundel as I think he still runs the McLaren Historic section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondel_Racing

Though there is the over riding question of, “why do you want this data?”

Very good point, as these cars are not exactly road cars.

Do McLaren ever sell their old race cars or do they retain ownership of them all ?

Pretty sure that McLaren never sell them, at least that was the case for most of the Ron Dennis era.

[StevieBee]

R8Steve said:

StevieBee said:

Despite some modicum of security, some drunk tubby woman climbed in and got wedged, requiring the Fire Brigade to be called to cut her out; completely wrecking the monocoque.

If this is a true story then

Ooh it's very true!

The event was called Flat Out in London - organised by Perry McCarthy off the success of his book. Black Tie thing at the Park Lane Hilton. Was actually quite a fun evening.

We were surprised that anyone was allowed near the Renault as we were told it was due in France the following day for testing with Alonso yet they let anyone clamber in. I managed to squeeze in myself.

This one woman who only just managed to squeeze into her ball gown got in and looked like a muffin in it but genuinely couldn't get out - started having panic attacks. I was leaving as the fire brigade turned up but I understand that Renault went apoplectic but they had provided the security for the car so I guess it was down to them.

I suppose they at least got insight into what Williams and McLaren had to endure during the Montoya years

[CraigyMc]

StevieBee said:

I suppose they at least got insight into what Williams and McLaren had to endure during the Montoya years

McLaren had prior experience of that with Mansell and the 1995 MP4/10 - he was too wide to get in it, so they had to put Mark Blundell in it while they made a bigger monocoque for Nigel.
Nigel's first race for McLaren was at Imola, where he was outqualified by a young Mika Hakkinen, then at the next event (Spain) he retired not just from the race, but from F1 in general.

All from having hips that were "too wide" (aka. you're too chunky, Nige).

[F1GTRUeno]

Nigel's fat chassis is in the Donington museum I believe