Extremely rare 1995 McLaren F1 expected to fetch $20 million

The sale will take place online through Sotheby's Sealed from 13-16 May.

Sotheby’s is offering an ultra-rare 1995 McLaren F1 with just 254 miles on the clock. The car is expected to command over $20 million, so it is more than likely that whoever ends up buying won’t be putting too many more miles on it as F1s are known to appreciate in value by nearly $1 million per year.

The McLaren F1 is one of the finest models that the British brand has ever created and only 106 were ever made. This particular example is offered in a one-off Creighton Brown colour scheme with a matching interior, but it is its low mileage which truly sets it apart from others.

The original concept was thought and drawn up by Formula One designer Gordon Murray while waiting for a flight home from the Italian Grand Prix in 1988, who then convinced McLaren boss Ron Dennis to back the project. Car designer Peter Stevens also helped to design the exterior and interior of the car.

The F1 was the first ever production car to use a carbon fibre monocoque chassis and is powered by a BMW-designed 6.1-litre V12 engine, helping it to achieve a record-breaking top speed of 240.1mph - beating a modified Jaguar XJ220's 217.1 mph time from 1993. It also has a racing pedigree, winning the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans on its debut, one of only three to do so. The F1 was a car only designed to be used on the road and is the last road-based supercar to win at Le Mans.

In 1994, Autocar magazine stated, "The F1 will be remembered as one of the great events in the history of the car, and it may possibly be the fastest production road car the world will ever see." In 2005, the F1 was number one on Channel 4’s list of the 100 greatest cars, with the car being described as "the greatest automotive achievement of all time".

The successful buyer of this McLaren F1 will be joining an esteemed list of notable owners of an F1 from the past and present including Lewis Hamilton, Elon Musk, Rowan Atkinson, Jay Leno, George Harrison, Ralph Lauren, Nick Mason and the Sultan of Brunei.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: RM Sotheby’s
video: McLaren Automotive