Celebrities have the coolest and most expensive cars, but their vehicles usually match their outward personality. Arnold Schwarzenegger drives beastly military vehicles. Sylvester Stallone celebrates his Italian roots even through his impressive collection of luxury cars, such as the Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and Rolls-Royce Phantom. As for Kate Moss, time and time again the model has proven that she is indeed a vintage queen and that her car collection is as iconic as her style. The British model has a 1968 MG Midget Mk III, a Mercedes-Benz 280SE and a 1971 Pagoda 280SL in her garage.
Obviously, celebrities are just like us, and they often associate their cars with their personalities. According to this logic, Rowan Atkinson aka Mr. Bean should drive a Mini like his character in the sitcom or a quirky little car like the Vauxhall Adam. But it seems Mr Bean is as surprising in real life as he is on his comedy show, as he drove one of the most spectacular exotic cars ever created, the McLaren F1. let’s face it, McLaren is more of a James Bond car than Mr. Bean’s. However, the successful British comedian acquired one of only 106 cars ever produced, but crashed it twice. For mere mortals, the idea of owning the legendary F1 remains a dream, but that doesn’t mean we can’t recognize this supercar’s performance, spectacular design and devilish engine.
The McLaren F1: the devil is in the details
In an age of boxy, dull cars, where few models stand out, the F1 is a miracle of a rare design. Everything about this car screams the best of the best, from the materials to the technology. Every detail is perfectly cared for and matched to the next to create the most spectacular car ever made.
Of all the 106 units ever created, there were only 64 road (F1) cars, making them extremely rare. But scarcity isn’t the only aspect that makes F1 command high prices. The fact that each supercar took around three and a half months to manufacture is also quite impressive.
Another important detail that made the McLaren F1 special is that this car was designed by the legendary Gordon Murray. The chief designer had been working on sketching a one plus two seating configuration for the car since 1969. And two decades later his arrowhead concept was finally revealed thanks to F1. Murray also worked alongside McLaren’s engineering team on other futuristic elements. For example, they found innovative ways to reduce weight and drag, while increasing downforce. Also, for the first time ever, they used a carbon fiber chassis for a production car. It’s worth noting that McLaren spent over 3,000 man-hours crafting each carbon fiber chassis.
Various sports car manufacturers may say that the engines in their vehicles are naturally aspirated, but few can claim that their cars have a gold-leaf lined engine compartment. As you can imagine, F1 has both!
The existence of 16 grams of gold under the engine cover has become mythical, but few know that gold was used because it was the best heat deflector. As of July 7, 2022, 16 grams of gold was worth $910.14. It should be noted that you can buy a Chinese small electric vehicle for the same value, but these cars play in different leagues.
Naturally, the gold leaf wasn’t the engine’s only stunning feature. Gearheads can rejoice because this car is as beastly as it gets. At the time of F1’s release, the naturally aspirated 6.1-litre BMW V12 engine produced the highest power for its size and delivered over 620 bhp.
The McLaren F1 has a Soul Formula 1
Most speed fanatics dream of driving a supercar on a circuit. Naturally, the ultimate fantasy would be to drive a Formula 1 car in a Grand Prix. The wealthy class can come one step closer to realizing that dream every time they drive their F1 car. Not only does the on-board diagnostic computer track and record the most complex measurements to recognize and diagnose problems, F1 is also fitted with the world’s most advanced braking system typical of Formula 1 vehicles.
Moreover, F1 reaches crazy speeds in record time, typical of supercars. For example, it accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and hits 100 miles per hour in 6.3 seconds.