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The original hypercar, McLaren's F1, is a rare beast. The design brief outlined by Gordon Murray was to build the ultimate road car, and what they achieved certainly lived up to that challenge. 627hp from the Paul Rosche-designed BMW V12 engine, a focus on low weight bordering on the fanatical, and beautiful engineering inspired by the company's racing program combined to create a machine that is still revered by enthusiasts the world over.
Only 64 of the 106 cars made were road versions, so opportunities to buy one are few and far between. If you've been scouring the web in vain trying to find the perfect F1, then fear not, because McLaren Special Operations has come to the rescue. Chassis #069 was the 60th F1 produced in Woking, and is now being offered for sale by the company. This car is one of only six made in 1998, the final year of production, and has covered a mere 2,800 miles since then. The Carbon Black paint lends a menacing touch to the exterior, with the dark theme continuing inside with Alcantara covering most surfaces apart from the central driver's seat, which features red and black leather.
Originality is a key factor with these special vehicles, and this offering has it in spades. Everything down to the titanium tool kit, literature and numbered owner's watch are included in the sale, along with a full McLaren service history. The new owner will have to hope that they are a broadly similar shape to the original keeper, as the driving position of all F1s was tailored to fit the pilot like a glove. The reward for squeezing into the carbon chassis'd weapon is a driving experience quite like no other, but big bucks will be required to get your hands on the keys. No price is advertised, but with other examples heading toward eight-figure sums, you can be sure it won't be cheap.