RE: 'LM-spec' McLaren F1 for sale at RM Sotheby's

RE: 'LM-spec' McLaren F1 for sale at RM Sotheby's

Monday 18th June 2018

'LM-spec' McLaren F1 for sale at RM Sotheby's

RM now offers a private sales division, and would you just look at what's for sale?



Anybody who enjoys daydreaming about Lotto win garages - and let's face it, who doesn't? - will be aware of RM Sotheby's. Because its auctions tend to feature all the exotica you could ever want. But now RM now has an additional way to waste time at work (and buy very expensive cars) with its Private Sales department. As you might expect, it features some rather nice stuff...

In amongst the Aston DB AR1 Zagato, the Ferrari 275 GTB and the Mercedes-Benz 680 S Torpedo Sport Avant Garde, however, is this: a McLaren F1 'LM Specification', one of the most important and desirable F1s ever made. Which, by extension, probably makes it one of the most important and desirable hypercars in history.


'LM Specification' is the key, F1 chassis #73 being one of just two road versions upgraded to the same engine spec as the Le Mans cars. That means a higher compression ratio, new pistons and new cams to create 680hp at 7,800rpm, up from 636 as standard. In addition this F1 was upgraded at Woking (by the team that's now McLaren Special Operations) with the Extra High Downforce package, boasting a new rear spoiler with Gurney flap, revised front end with more vents and a set of 18-inch wheels.

Originally painted AMG Green Velvet with a two-tone cream and green interior, this F1 was resprayed and retrimmed in orange with magnolia. It was also upgraded with air-con, sat-nav and, according to RM, a "helicopter-grade car-to-car radio and intercom system." Oh yes, and Gordon Murray has signed it, too.

Having covered 6,000km with its original owner, F1 #73 currently sits on just 6,700 and will be sold with original manuals, gold-plated titanium Facom tool roll and the standard exhaust (it having been swapped for something racier as part of the LM overhaul).


So yes, it's a pretty special McLaren F1, even by the ludicrously exalted standards of McLaren F1s. RM describes it as "a perfect mix of the best aspects of both the original road car and the radical LM", which we wouldn't disagree with. It's rarer than the LM yet more accommodating, while being faster and more focused than the road car as well. What more could you want?

As for price, it's upon request. Natch. But given the specification, plus the fact that RM sold it in 2015 for $13.7m, you can probably make an educated guess at it being Quite Expensive. Still, you would if you could, right?






[Source: RM Sotheby's]

Author
Discussion

leglessAlex

Original Poster:

5,384 posts

140 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
What an utterly glorious colour for an F1. What's the likely price? £20m? If it is it'll be worth every penny. I would if I could.

British Beef

2,192 posts

164 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all

Im straight in with my offer of $22 Million !

Now if I can just arrange a 0% finance deal over 4000 years, I could get it for $460 PM.

fathomfive

9,876 posts

189 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Agreed, that is a tremendous colour.

vixen1700

22,671 posts

269 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
That is rather special. cool

skidskid

283 posts

140 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
For the price of this second hand car you could get over six hundred golfs new, why would anyone bother?

(Am i doing the forums right?)

daddy cool

3,996 posts

228 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Why would they gold-plate the titanium tools? Isnt that just adding weight unnecessarily to tools made from a very light metal?
For that reason, i'm out.

JMF894

5,478 posts

154 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Fabulous car in a wonderful colour but, am I the only one whothought the seats looked, well, rather tatty?

thegreenhell

15,115 posts

218 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Previous owner didn't like it much then? Only driven 700km in three years. I bet they're kicking themselves for spending all that money on it and then not using it...

Macboy

732 posts

204 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
I must be alone in thinking the colour is ghastly. Dark colours for me. Even the Atkinson burgundy is preferable to something quite so "West Coast Customs". I'd have that straight back to MSO for a repaint and retrim.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
thegreenhell said:
Previous owner didn't like it much then? Only driven 700km in three years. I bet they're kicking themselves for spending all that money on it and then not using it...
Yeah, it's depreciated like a stone...

murphyaj

610 posts

74 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Yeah, it's depreciated like a stone...
Do stones depreciate?

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
JMF894 said:
Fabulous car in a wonderful colour but, am I the only one whothought the seats looked, well, rather tatty?
it's the first thing I thought

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Really suits that colour, sets it off and makes it look a bit more contemporary, interior looks a bit grubby in that photo though.

McLarent should do a new version, similar styling but with 720 gubbins underneath, as to be honest, I think, though the modern Mclarens look good and are meant to be great, they have never quite made anything as good looking as the F1.

Not sure what current F1 owners would make of that but who cares, they have an original.



thegreenhell

15,115 posts

218 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
murphyaj said:
Krikkit said:
Yeah, it's depreciated like a stone...
Do stones depreciate?
I guess it depends how much you paid for them and whether they have any magic powers.

thegreenhell

15,115 posts

218 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
McLarent should do a new version, similar styling but with 720 gubbins underneath, as to be honest, I think, though the modern Mclarens look good and are meant to be great, they have never quite made anything as good looking as the F1.

Not sure what current F1 owners would make of that but who cares, they have an original.
They have that new BP23 thing coming soon. That's a three-seater based on the 720, and supposedly a super-GT in the same way the F1 was. It won't look anything like the original though.

ucb

944 posts

211 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Do the seats look grubby or is it just the light in the photos?

Turbobanana

6,160 posts

200 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
" faster and more focused than the road car "

More focused, yes. But with the added aero I believe it's actually slower (top speed) than the standard car.

And the seats do look like they're from an old Esprit turbo that needed a good clean.

mackay45

832 posts

170 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
murphyaj said:
Krikkit said:
Yeah, it's depreciated like a stone...
Do stones depreciate?
If you pay for them and they go down in value from the price you paid, then yes...

ukaskew

10,642 posts

220 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Turbobanana said:
" faster and more focused than the road car "

More focused, yes. But with the added aero I believe it's actually slower (top speed) than the standard car.
I'm guessing they meant 'round a track' but there is a 99% chance it'll never see one anyway.

Turbobanana

6,160 posts

200 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
ukaskew said:
Turbobanana said:
" faster and more focused than the road car "

More focused, yes. But with the added aero I believe it's actually slower (top speed) than the standard car.
I'm guessing they meant 'round a track' but there is a 99% chance it'll never see one anyway.
Wouldn't you just love to, though?