Why would anyone pay more than $5,000,000 for a 17-year-old car that you can’t even drive on the street? Because that car is a McLaren F1 … and not just any McLaren F1, but a GTR Longtail.
The F1 GTR was the racing version of the already hysterically fast street car, famous for holding the production car speed record. As it turns out, that kind of performance didn’t take that much screwing around with to win races. In fact, this particular F1 GTR was raced successfully by the Works BMW Motorosport Team, hence the attractive if slightly garish badging.
In full racing tune, this car’s 6.0-liter BMW V12 churned out 604 horsepower at an earsplitting, face-melting 6,500 rpm. That power, when combined with a six-speed sequential box and F1 style double wishbone suspension was good enough for four podium finishes out of five FIA GT races.
Restored by McLaren themselves, this probably the most pristine example of an F1 GTR that you will ever see.
When combined with the mystique that has always surrounded the F1, this makes for the kind of pedigree that almost makes me understand why a car could sell for $5,280,000.
This stunning price was achieved at an auction set up by Gooding & Company, that featured some other impressive classics like a couple of Ferrari 250 GTs, both of which topped by $6,160,000.
If you are the sort of person who looks at that sales price and thinks “sounds like a good deal,” then I have some bad news for you. Only a 100 F1s were ever made, and they don’t go up for sale very often. So keep your eyes peeled, and start saving up your pennies.
