1995 McLaren F1 sells for record-breaking $US20.5 million
The V12 supercar has been driven just a handful of times since it rolled out of McLaren's Surrey factory 26 years ago.
A near-pristine 1995 McLaren F1 went under the hammer over the weekend for $US20.5 million ($28 million), representing the highest price ever paid for a road-going example of the legendary Gordon Murray-designed supercar.
The British-built three-seater – which has clocked just 400km since new – was the centrepiece of this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance auction in California, and was secured by an unnamed buyer on Friday night (local time) following a prolonged bidding war.
External carbon-fibre panels are finished in a one-off ‘Creighton Brown’ metallic hue, while the vehicle’s interior is trimmed in dark brown and tan leather. Carbon-fibre highlights adorn the centre console, door cards, steering wheel, and dashboard.
A BMW-sourced 6.1-litre V12 petrol engine sends 461kW/650Nm to the rear wheels via a traditional three-pedal six-speed manual transmission, allowing the vehicle to launch from 0-100km/h in approximately 3.2 seconds on the way to a top speed of 380km/h.
The value of McLaren F1 supercars has skyrocketed in recent years, due to its near-mythical standing among collectors. In 2019, a private buyer secured a 1994 example for a then-record-setting $US19.8 million ($25 million).
The most expensive car outright ever sold publicly was a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which fetched $US48.4 million ($66 million) at auction in 2018.