Thursday 4th August 2011

In The PH Classifieds: Senna's 'Airfix' McLaren

Ayrton's 1991 MP4/6 (turned into sculpture) to go up for auction

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A gigantic 'Airfix Kit' sculpture made from Ayrton Senna's 1991 F1 championship-winning McLaren MP4/6 is to go on sale at the Coys Nurburgring auction in Germany on August 13th (and is also advertisd on PH).

The car was dismantled (presumably after it had finished racing) and given to artist Jay Burridge who turned it into the giant sculpture in 1992 after McLaren International offered a student at Central Saint Martins in London a 'unique opportunity' to turn one of their cars into sculpture.

McLaren Boss Ron Dennis was apparently so impressed with the sculpture that, once finished, the 'Airfix' MP4/6 was hung in the reception of Marlboro's London advertising agency, until Senna's tragic death in May 1994, whereupon it was put into storage.

Since then the sculpture has rarely made a public appearance, though it was revived in June 2004 as a central part of the 'Remembering Ayrton Senna' tribute exhibition at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

But there has been a surge of interest in the Brazilian motor racing legend since the release a few weeks ago of the film Senna, and thus this awesomely rare piece of automobilia is up for grabs.

Coys reckons on putting the hammer down somewhere between £30k and £50k, which does seem rather an expensive way to cover your living room wall.

But McLaren has a policy of not selling old cars or parts of old cars, so the chance to own one, even if it isn't quite a whole car, is pretty special. Let alone one in which Ayrton Senna won a world Championship. Put it that way and £30k starts to sound quite cheap...

[Police State]

I wouldn't buy it; it's already had the decals applied.

[AdamPT]

I can't think of another piece of 'art' I'd rather have hanging on my wall. I remember the day Senna died so clearly even now. It was a friend's 18th and I sat in the corner all night and couldn't eat, drink or speak. Even now its still saddens me. Saw the film with a Q&A with the producer and director and if you haven't seen it I urge you to. Forget being the best motor racing documentary, or even sporting doc, it is one of the best films I have ever seen.....he was so enigmatic and for me, will always be the greatest

[BMWill]

Piston Heads said:

The car was dismantled (presumably after it had finished racing) and fiven to artist Jay Burridge who turned it into the giant sculpture in 1992 after McLaren International offered a student at Central Saint Martins in London a 'unique opportunity' to turn one of their cars into sculpture.

Proof ready maybe??

Edit to say: while posting this, there is a red squiggly line under the word, so it's not exactly difficult to spot...

Edited by BMWill on Thursday 4th August 12:38

[jimbo2728]

WANT!

[simplygod]

Cool

[GSP]

If pople are willing to pay £500k for a banksy print, then someone must been willing to put down a serious piece of money on this piece of art with so much more history

[EDLT]

Its got Senna written on it, it will probably go for more than £50k.

I wonder if Hamilton will bid, I hear he is a bit of a fan...

[DugyC]

I can't believe this would only go for £50K.. it is unique, one of a kind, and is the actual car, even though it's been cleaned up it still has the odd scuff and scrape.

Senna drove this in many a race in a championship winning year.

If I had millions I wouldn't hesitate to bid one of those, or more, for it.

I WANT!!

ps. In more McLaren don't sell their cars... this is absolutely unique.

[F1GTRUeno]

Just me that'd put it back together?

[Tomatogti]

I'm sure they'll be a bidding war between and few loaded car addicts and it'll fetch closer to £1/2m. That's a one off piece of art directly related to one of the best ever racers!

[Roberty]

F1GTRUeno said:

Just me that'd put it back together?

Nope me too.

Surely worth far more in it's original layout.

The airfix art thing doesn't do it for me.

[Marf]

No way, if I had the kind of folding to justify buying that it'd go on the wall in my climate controlled garage along with my collection of various cars!

[CampDavid]

It isn't the car.

It's bits of 1991 body work, however McLarens of that era were not built in the same way as today, the tub was in carbon fibre and sat under the bodywork. The stuff you're getting is effectively an engine cover which extends to the front of the car as well as a whole bunch of wings, mirrors and ducts. Cool but by no means an actual car.

It's being sold by Coys so factor in 15% and a dodgy discription in the catalogue as well

[ultrastapler]

estimate seems cheap. surely that is worth more than just £50k?

if my euromillions numbers had come up i know where some of it would be spent

[ali_kat]

It will go for more than that!

[CampDavid]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX9DldzpS7Y

1:50 into this video shows the cover being removed. You're buying the cover. Not the car.

(Not that anyone reads anyone else's posts in threads like this)

[theEditor]

Wouldn't it be good if the proceeds went to the Instituto Ayrton Senna charity ...

[Ultuous]

CampDavid said:

It isn't the car.

It's bits of 1991 body work, however McLarens of that era were not built in the same way as today, the tub was in carbon fibre and sat under the bodywork. The stuff you're getting is effectively an engine cover which extends to the front of the car as well as a whole bunch of wings, mirrors and ducts. Cool but by no means an actual car.

It's being sold by Coys so factor in 15% and a dodgy discription in the catalogue as well

This - surely!... I 'like' the sculpture, but WTF would you pull apart a valuable, historic championship chassis to turn it into a dead skin in the sake of art, instead if donating some cosmetic 'consumable' bits that have become surplus to requirement at the end of the season!... Smacks of auctioneering nonsense to me!

[BigTom85]

CampDavid said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX9DldzpS7Y

1:50 into this video shows the cover being removed. You're buying the cover. Not the car.

(Not that anyone reads anyone else's posts in threads like this)

I can't imagine anybody being under the illusion that they are receiving anything more, and just in case anybody is blind and can't see the pictures, it being described as an 'Airfix McLaren' makes it quite obvious in my opinion

[thewheelman]

This has to be the ultimate piece of Senna memorabilia, one of the F1 greats. I have a pair of James Hunts racing gloves, signed by the man himself, i wonder what they'd be worth? (not that i'd ever sell them)