A motoring expert has named the McLaren F1 the best British car ever built, praising its engineering and record-breaking performance. The car, designed by legendary Formula 1 designer Gordon Murray, was the embodiment of Ron Dennis’ dream to create the ultimate road-going sports car.
A difficult choice among British classics
Selecting the very best car ever built on British shores was a hard task, as there are just so many amazing options. The classic 1960s Aston Martin DB5 could well have topped the list, as could the Lotus Elise Series 1 or Land Rover Series 1.
The expert admitted they almost went with the iconic Jaguar E-Type, a model they have long admired. But one model probably just pips the lot as an example of the very best British engineering has to offer: a true modern classic.
Records and performance
The McLaren F1 is still the fastest naturally aspirated production car in the world, 30 years after launch. The plan was to adopt many of the features fitted to McLaren's Formula 1 Grand Prix cars to put together one of the world’s most advanced cars ever built.
The result is one of the rarest and most iconic road cars in the country. Only 106 units were handmade between 1992 and 1998, of which only 64 were standard road cars.
The McLaren F1 has a top speed of 240mph, breaking the Guinness World Record for the world's fastest production car, which it held for a decade. The gold-plated V12 engine can hit 0-60mph in just 3.2 seconds.
Engineering and racing legacy
The car is fitted with no electronic interventions, including no traction control, ABS brakes, or power steering. At launch, the car was retailing for between £540,000 and £600,000, but today expect to pay several million (£20m+) to secure the keys to one.
Much of the storied legacy behind the McLaren F1 was pure coincidence. The car was never intended to go racing, but pressure forced Murray to relent and build the F1 GTR. It took the top spot at the 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours, beating purpose-built racing prototypes.
The E-Type may be the purists’ pick, but forget the car’s engineering compromises. Some of the early cars suffered from overheating issues and brake deficiencies, problems that were solved in the later Series 2 and 3 models. In comparison, the McLaren F1 was faultless out of the box, a true engineering marvel.
