The McLaren F1 does nothing for me
Discussion
The F1 is a very special car.. I loved almost everything, although the standard road cars looks never *quite* did it for me.. Some colours looked much better than others but it wasn't quite there.
Well, the F1 LM on the other hand DID do it for me!
As did the longtail version!
Well, the F1 LM on the other hand DID do it for me!
As did the longtail version!
Edited by sodslaw on Thursday 4th October 15:35
I am a member of the "Does nothing for me" club. I was always a XJ220 fan, when the F1 came out as 8 year old all my school mates who didn't really like cars, liked the F1 because of the numbers and the gold heat insulation, but I'd rather the jag or a diablo.
I think part of it is just because of the numbers it makes that people like it so much and that was down to BMW marking them an awesome engine which totally surpassed the figures they wanted, IIRC they were aiming for around 500bhp?
Another factor is that most mags that have driven it says it is actually not that nice to drive, again meaning the only thing its good at is the unintended consequence of its engine.
The one thing I do like about it however, is the compact dimensions, 3 inches narrower than the MP4-12C is something I can get on board with.
I think part of it is just because of the numbers it makes that people like it so much and that was down to BMW marking them an awesome engine which totally surpassed the figures they wanted, IIRC they were aiming for around 500bhp?
Another factor is that most mags that have driven it says it is actually not that nice to drive, again meaning the only thing its good at is the unintended consequence of its engine.
The one thing I do like about it however, is the compact dimensions, 3 inches narrower than the MP4-12C is something I can get on board with.
Always loved the F1 and one is right at the top of my "to buy" list should I win the euro millions, along with a 959.
I live in Guildford and I would regularly see them in their production days either on the A3 or on the Guildford to Woking road. I've even seen a Longtail, not on the road though but at the Chobham test track in 2009, oddly it was disguised in the swirly paint that new cars in development are painted in, it was definitely an F1 though, and a Longtail.
I live in Guildford and I would regularly see them in their production days either on the A3 or on the Guildford to Woking road. I've even seen a Longtail, not on the road though but at the Chobham test track in 2009, oddly it was disguised in the swirly paint that new cars in development are painted in, it was definitely an F1 though, and a Longtail.
I was always very indifferent about the McLaren F1 and whilst I couldn't say that it would be first to arrive in my dream garage, I have come around to appreciating them. As has been said in this thread already, they really were not a car for showing off in.. they were a drivers car but at least still gave some consideration to practicality (such as two passenger seats and some luggage capacity) - as supercars have aged, and subsequently people debate whether they're now "too 80's" or retro looking, I doubt the F1 will ever be dismissed as looking out of date. It'll always have enough power to be a fast car, be well styled enough to look contemporary (at least for the next few decades!), and understated enough to only arouse interest in people who know about cars.
I felt the same as the OP, until...
I bought a VX220 Turbo, and someone on TV (think it was Tiff?) said they drove like an Elise, but with a million more horsepower, and...
Well, now I'd pay literally some money for a shot in one. Ten or more pounds, certainly.
They look like so much fun.
I bought a VX220 Turbo, and someone on TV (think it was Tiff?) said they drove like an Elise, but with a million more horsepower, and...
Well, now I'd pay literally some money for a shot in one. Ten or more pounds, certainly.
They look like so much fun.
For me, it is THE car. Probably the only car I'd be longing to buy with a lottery win.
The detail is incredible 'these wheels are heavy, hmmm why don't we cut a slot in each spoke...' That alone spawned a million copies in the 90s
Nobody since has contracted anyone to make the lightest tool kit they can.
Even the fact that still, today, it can be connected to the factory via a modem amazes me.
I'm fairly sure we won't see another car which shows such levels of 'anal'
The detail is incredible 'these wheels are heavy, hmmm why don't we cut a slot in each spoke...' That alone spawned a million copies in the 90s
Nobody since has contracted anyone to make the lightest tool kit they can.
Even the fact that still, today, it can be connected to the factory via a modem amazes me.
I'm fairly sure we won't see another car which shows such levels of 'anal'
THE dream car for me. If I ever had the money it would be the first car I bought beyond doubt.
I loved it from the moment it came out. I love the way it looks. I love the noise it makes.
And I love that is just so perfect in every way. From what I understand it can take as much luggage as a small hatchback. It can carry 3 people and it can do all this at over 200mph.
There is literally no other car in the world as capable and never will be. "supercars" such as the SLR the SLS this hideously ugly new porsche supercar and even the veyron do nothing for me. They are utterly and totally pointless and contradictory.
The slr is a jazzed up sl600 aka a gt not a supercar just like the sls. Quite frankly the Audi R8 or porsche 911 are more "supercar" than the two mercs.
The new porsche hybrid thingy or whatever it is is quite frankly just too ugly to be described as a supercar. And the veyron is simply too compromised.
So what it can do 250mph. It however would be s
t on a racecourse unlike the F1. So really its a gt car yes? You take a little jaunt around europe but then you have to change the tyres or service it every 2500 miles or somesuch nonsense and to do so it has to go back to Bug.
So no not really. The F1 however you could load up yourself and two hot girls or your wife and kid (assuming you only have one kid) potter around europe for a week or three racking up a couple of thousand miles then on a whim pop to a race course and have a little fun before driving home again. Service and tyres? No biggie if needs tyres have them shipped and fitted wherever you are.
It is the true dual purpose car. Yes the brakes are a bit pants so what. More than enough for general road use I believe.
I loved it from the moment it came out. I love the way it looks. I love the noise it makes.
And I love that is just so perfect in every way. From what I understand it can take as much luggage as a small hatchback. It can carry 3 people and it can do all this at over 200mph.
There is literally no other car in the world as capable and never will be. "supercars" such as the SLR the SLS this hideously ugly new porsche supercar and even the veyron do nothing for me. They are utterly and totally pointless and contradictory.
The slr is a jazzed up sl600 aka a gt not a supercar just like the sls. Quite frankly the Audi R8 or porsche 911 are more "supercar" than the two mercs.
The new porsche hybrid thingy or whatever it is is quite frankly just too ugly to be described as a supercar. And the veyron is simply too compromised.
So what it can do 250mph. It however would be s
t on a racecourse unlike the F1. So really its a gt car yes? You take a little jaunt around europe but then you have to change the tyres or service it every 2500 miles or somesuch nonsense and to do so it has to go back to Bug.So no not really. The F1 however you could load up yourself and two hot girls or your wife and kid (assuming you only have one kid) potter around europe for a week or three racking up a couple of thousand miles then on a whim pop to a race course and have a little fun before driving home again. Service and tyres? No biggie if needs tyres have them shipped and fitted wherever you are.
It is the true dual purpose car. Yes the brakes are a bit pants so what. More than enough for general road use I believe.
How is the Veyron compromised? It's far less compromised than the F1 and is bloody quick round a racetrack, despite quite clearly being much more of a road car than the McLaren. The tyres don't need replacing every 2.5k, nor are the schedules stupidly short - no more so than the F1 which needs it every 6k IIRC and is from what I understand eye-wateringly expensive. Both were designed with a lot of aeronautic grade materials and engineering standards and are maintained as such.
Never really understand the Veyron/F1 'one is better' talk, they're like chalk and cheese. It comes down to liking the ethos of each car, it isn't a right/wrong kinda thing. Considering the guy who oversaw the engineering is a famous F1 owner and given that the cars are so different should show they were never aiming at the same market. The F1 still clearly stands alone, partially because of how single minded it was and partially because times have changed.
Never really understand the Veyron/F1 'one is better' talk, they're like chalk and cheese. It comes down to liking the ethos of each car, it isn't a right/wrong kinda thing. Considering the guy who oversaw the engineering is a famous F1 owner and given that the cars are so different should show they were never aiming at the same market. The F1 still clearly stands alone, partially because of how single minded it was and partially because times have changed.
TallbutBuxomly said:
General consencus is bugatti states they want a tyre change every 2500k miles.
Don't they want to X ray the wheels on every second change too, to check for stress fractures? That part of the process alone was worth several grand, and can you imagine what a set of tyres developed for the Veyron costs? I doubt it's a budget option next to the McLaren, I really do.
To me the Veyron is the modern incantation of the F1, funtion above all else, very little emotion involved, and the goal of being the worlds fastest production car as one of it's targets.
The Veyron is simply an F1 in principal but with modern advancements applied, so a beter F1 in all respects, certainly faster too, but with only facts and figures to try and catch the imagination.
If I was super rich there is no doubt both a veyron and an F1 would be in my garage, but not before an F40, 959, 288GTO, Zonda, Aventador, 430 Scuderia, well, lots of Supercars that make you take a third and forth look when you see them.
The Veyron is simply an F1 in principal but with modern advancements applied, so a beter F1 in all respects, certainly faster too, but with only facts and figures to try and catch the imagination.
If I was super rich there is no doubt both a veyron and an F1 would be in my garage, but not before an F40, 959, 288GTO, Zonda, Aventador, 430 Scuderia, well, lots of Supercars that make you take a third and forth look when you see them.
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