$4 Million McLaren F1 Sets New World Record
By Affluent Page Editor • Oct 30th, 2008 • Category: Automobile, Collect, News & Noteworthy
A new world record was set in London last night when a beautiful and rare British-made 1997 McLaren F1 supercar sold for $4 million at RM Auctions’ mega sale. One of only 75 examples made, the car on offer more than doubled its pre-sale estimate to the astonishment of observers who conjectured world economic factors might dampen bidders’ enthusiasm. The F1 on offer (above) was the original Park Lane showroom model in pristine condition, and originally sold for $1 million.
One of the first carbon fiber-bodied production cars, the F1 was the fastest street legal production car in the world for over a decade, the longest period the record has been held by any street legal or production car in the history of automobiles. The record price is good news for collectors such as Ralph Lauren who acquired one of the few original models, and “redefines the market for these superb vehicles” according to Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Auctions European Division. Meanwhile, McLaren recently announced plans to debut a new version of the F1 in 2010, dubbed the P11, but it is expected to cost less than the original.www.rmauctions.com
