The McLaren F1 is inextricably tied to BMW. One of the crucial legendary highway automobiles in historical past makes use of a BMW-sourced S70/2 V12 engine that delivers equally legendary efficiency, creating 618 horsepower, screaming to 7,500 rpm, and permitting the machine to hit a high velocity in extra of 240 mph. Maintaining the facility plant operating in tip-top form is not any joke. And for these lucky sufficient to be contemplating snagging a McLaren F1 of their very own, almost 30 years after the actual fact, common upkeep might be one of many highest priorities on the listing. Maybe predictably, BMW of North America performed an integral position there, too. A 1994 McLaren F1, chassis 014, is coming to RM Sotheby’s tomorrow in Abu Dhabi, and it touts a service historical past from none apart from BMW of North America. Spectacular for a automobile by no means technically supposed for the U.S. in any respect!
BMW and the McLaren F1: A True “Service Historical past”
Though it isn’t usually talked about, a McLaren F1 serviced by BMW of North America shouldn’t essentially be thought-about probably the most unusual factor. Relative, after all, to the truth that there are solely 106 McLaren F1s in existence and round 20 or 30 within the States. McLaren contracted BMW of North America to offer service for the BMW-powered supercars that landed Stateside a while within the mid-Nineties. Solely a handful of technicians had been ever skilled on the BMW aspect. It took till 2018 for McLaren to open a service heart of their very own for the F1 — maybe understandably, because the automobile shares nothing with its successors.
In the meantime, BMW of North America continues to reap the rewards from the tentative enterprise association. Tom DiGregorio, one skilled technician, nonetheless performs work on the McLaren F1 automobiles nonetheless within the BMW of North America assortment. As just lately as 2024 he changed the windshield of an F1 GTR — a $25,000 element, for these questioning. “It’s my favourite automobile to work on, however you’d higher take care and pay attention to your environment if you work on it,” he mentioned. And a clean test or suitcases of money available, apparently.
McLaren F1 Chassis 014 at a Look
Sadly, we don’t have permission to make use of the public sale itemizing footage. Take a look at the hyperlink on the backside of the story for these. In any case, this particular McLaren F1, chassis 014, is much more of an oddball as a result of regardless of having BMW of North America provenance, it’s not really situated Stateside anymore! As talked about, it now resides in Abu Dhabi. Initially Titanium Yellow, its authentic stewards had been none apart from the Brunei Royal Household. After possession underneath a former McLaren director, David Clark, the automobile lastly moved to the U.S., the place its New York primarily based proprietor took it to BMW of North America for a complete service. Afterwards, the automobile traded fingers but once more and made its strategy to Woking for a complete rebuild. The automobile additionally acquired a number of notable extras from the manufacturing facility this time round, together with new paint, the vaunted Excessive Downforce Equipment, and many inside upgrades.
After that just about $500,000 refurbishment within the early 2000s, the automobile roughly remained unchanged. At present the automobile has almost 14,000 miles on it, which in all probability places it within the “medium-to-high” mileage bracket for McLaren F1s. The RM public sale goes stay tomorrow, and you’ll try the automobile — and I extremely advocate you do, even should you don’t have the estimated $21 million mendacity round — on the hyperlink supplied under.
