The McLaren F1 does nothing for me

[F1GTRUeno]

I think simply hearing that engine does it all. One of the most bonkers, brilliant powerplants ever made. All the drama in the world when it's barking it's way up to 240mph.

Time has been kind to the styling and everyone in the world knows how single minded and well packaged the design was.

The LM is one of the most insane cars ever built for the road as well, little more than a GTR for the road (or of course, you could literally have a GTR for the road which is ridiculous in itself).

[Nedzilla]

I think the F1 was designed to be more of a drivers car and a supercar that was actually useable compared with other supercars of the day which just looked good and went fast but were useless for anything else.

Like probably everyone else here I have never and never will drive an F1 but the general impression I get from most motoring experts/journos is that it is STILL the greatest sports/super car ever made.

But I agree,for someone who can only look at one on the TV or in a magazine,it is by far from my favourite either.

Edited by Nedzilla on Tuesday 2nd October 09:52

[BananaBok]

R11ysf said:

OP how old are you?

I remember it being very "out there". Ok it didn't have a bog wing like the F40 but it had 3 seats! Space for 2 girls! It also had Gold leaf in the engine bay and a 230+ mph to speed. It looked great for the time and still looks great today.

And the doors opened like bat wings.

And it had 3 seats. 3. How cool is that!

Im 40 this year, and remember reading fact sheets and any reviews I could find of the F1 when it was released, but it never held my attention long and I was looking to Ferrari and Lamborghini for Supercars I would love to have.

It's strange, because the Porsche 959 is still one of my all time favorite cars, (especially in Paris Dakar colours!!) and that's a german Supercar that in theory should be all engineering and zero emotion, but that car just seems to have a personality and manages to be a techniological showpiece and spark the emotions.

[BananaBok]

F1GTRUeno said:

I think simply hearing that engine does it all. One of the most bonkers, brilliant powerplants ever made. All the drama in the world when it's barking it's way up to 240mph.

Time has been kind to the styling and everyone in the world knows how single minded and well packaged the design was.

The LM is one of the most insane cars ever built for the road as well, little more than a GTR for the road (or of course, you could literally have a GTR for the road which is ridiculous in itself).

Maybe a passenger ride would convince me

[braddo]

BananaBok said:

... Instead of something exciting it comes across as a sterile tool, with none of the drama of an F40 or Diablo for example....

It sounds to me as if you are judging the car superficially, based on its looks and the reputations of the other cars. If you actually care about driving rather than posing, the F1 was the absolute benchmark.

Driving position, steering feel, unservoed brakes, a monster naturally aspirated V12, no traction control or stability control, the world's fastest car that you could fill with luggage and TWO lovely ladies and drive across the continent in comfort (try that in a F40). There is plenty of thrill contained in all the specification and numbers that I'm amazed that someone can call a F1 soulless or unexciting.

Watching Tiff drive one around Goodwood shows plenty of capacity to scare the living st out of yourself.

[chevronb37]

I vividly recall standing on the Donington pit straight as John Nielsen howled the West sponsored F1 GTR towards Redgate in morning warm-up for the BPR Global GT Championship in 1995. I was 11 years old and remains one of the defining moments of my automotive education. That and Jonathan Palmer's astounding Goodwood hillclimb ascents in a road-going car solidified an enormous respect for the the F1. The shriek as Dr P launched it off the line carried over to us sat outside the house, preluding his appearance - at enormous speed - in front of us. The sound of that engine alone is enough to grant it deity status for me.

I saw them racing many times during the mid-1990s and you just knew you were witnessing something very, very special. Oh and road car which won Le Mans outright at its first attempt? Incredible.

[900T-R]

chevronb37 said:

Oh and road car which won Le Mans outright at its first attempt? Incredible.

And it was basically just a road car that got stripped, the necessary safety items added and a restrictor placed so it had significantly less power than the road version.

I don't think we will ever see something this close to a roadgoing car win an event at the pinnacle of motorsport outright, ever again.

Edited by 900T-R on Tuesday 2nd October 10:34

[coppice]

Whilst I recognise the fact that threads like this are like 14 year olds deciding if Kelly Brook or Lady Gaga would suit their needs better (lads- it just isn't going to happen is it ?)I cannot resist throwing in my thoughts too. The F1 is the supercar which lives up to that title in every sense. It's light- thanks to Gordon Murray's racing heritage and obsession with the Chapman mantra. It is hugely powerful with a n/a V12 engine- which satisfies the purist in me and sounds bloody sensational. Its styling is subtle and fit for purpose- shades of GT40 more than anything else- which can only be a Good Thing in my book. It is not overburdened with technical gimmickry - no pas, no traction control etc. It is for driving, not posing and some examples are well used - have seen more than one looking nicely lived in- newspapers on passenger seats and sandwich wrappings on floor. It is the antithesis of the utterly preposterous Veyron - ugly , overweight, overpowered and as subtle as a brick.A real betrayal of the utterly sublime 'real ' Bugattis like the exquisite Type 35

And what really elevated the F1 is that it was good enough- despite not having been designed as a racer - to win Le Mans. Can't see a Veyron or Murcielago doing that- Crikey the poor old Bug couldn't even beat a Seven at Dunsfold.....

[Le TVR]

900T-R said:

chevronb37 said:

Oh and road car which won Le Mans outright at its first attempt? Incredible.

And it was basically just a road car that got stripped, the necessary safety items added and a restrictor placed so it had seignificantly less power than the road version.

I don't think we will ever see something this close to a roadgoing car win an event at the pinnacle of motorsport outright, ever again.

You only have to look at how other manufacturers bent and stretched the ACO rules to beat the F1 at Le Mans.

McLaren hold the moral high ground in achieving this with a road car derived entry, not a purpose built racer.

[Rawwr]

I'd love to have a go in a GTR with its original 180mph gearing.

[chevronb37]

Le TVR said:

900T-R said:

chevronb37 said:

Oh and road car which won Le Mans outright at its first attempt? Incredible.

And it was basically just a road car that got stripped, the necessary safety items added and a restrictor placed so it had seignificantly less power than the road version.

I don't think we will ever see something this close to a roadgoing car win an event at the pinnacle of motorsport outright, ever again.

You only have to look at how other manufacturers bent and stretched the ACO rules to beat the F1 at Le Mans.

McLaren hold the moral high ground in achieving this with a road car derived entry, not a purpose built racer.

Quite. The rot started with the 911 GT1, which was a purpose-built racer. Those 1995 and 1996 seasons were magic with the McLarens, Ferraris and Lotuses going toe-to-toe.

It's amazing that we now see race-winning F1 GTRs (like Andy Bruce's) being used as road cars.

[jgtv]

Does nothing for me.

Granted I win the Euromillions I would probably pick one up to see what the fuss was about, but other than that I am really not fussed.

I dont care about Le Mans wins, like 'Ring lap times just a pointless stat in my eyes, always thought the seating was just a gimic, styling doesnt really do anything for me, there are cheaper "worse" cars that are undoubtly slower round a track that I would place much higher on my fictional shopping list.

[Dave Hedgehog]

the F1 has presence but its not a good looking car

and the 3 seat arrangement is just silly, if i am rich enough to get a hyper car i want my newly acquired supermodel girlfriend to be able to reach over and "talk" to me

and then there's the fact that it would kill anyone whose not a professional race driver trying to give it beans


but all this is irrelevant, you just have to hear one in the metal pull away on full chat, omg the noise is worth 2mill of anyone's money

[AreOut]

BananaBok said:

Anyone else feel the same?

Instead of something exciting it comes across as a sterile tool, with none of the drama of an F40 or Diablo for example. It's not a car you'd put a poster of on your wall as a boy, unless you're of those youngsters that kept their toys pristine in their boxes, and it's like they strived towards some sort of technical perfection and completely missed the emotional mark, which is largely what a true Supercar should include.

if by "emotional" you mean very hard to drive(especially as a daily) and not reliable I can ensure you F1 can be modified to be just like that in a couple of minutes, other cars can't be modified to be like F1 though, hope you see the difference

[CHIEF]

Ok whilst it doesn't have the drama of a Ferrari or a Lambo I still think it looks senational.

[LongLiveTazio]

I don't find it anywhere near as exciting as an F40 and that is what I want: excitement.

[AreOut]

well as I said you can always fiddle with the tire pressures and you get your excitement

[TheHeretic]

I've never particularly been fussed by super cars at all really.

[AreOut]

they are a dream, and F1 is even practical in some way...

[Muzzer79]

The F1 is something of a double-edged sword for me. It has many things which I find fantastic and many that I don't

I love the engine, the noise, the lack of weight.

But the styling and the aura around it leaves me a little cold.

I'd love one, but they're in another league cost-wise to even 'regular' supercars such as F40, Enzo, etc and there would be other supercars in the queue before it.