We love the McLaren F1 right here at BMWBLOG, for just a few causes. For one, we’re fanatics, and the F1 is probably the Holy Grail of the fanatic automobile world. However arguably extra importantly, the F1 is powered by a BMW-devised V12 energy plant dubbed the S70 V12 engine. This magical piece of equipment sings a refrain of 618 horsepower all the best way to 7,500 rpm. However at the moment we’re an offshoot of the F1 that will get talked about even lower than traditional; the longrtail. Particularly, F1 GTR chassis #27R.
Meet McLaren F1 Chassis #27R
We’ve written about particular chassis up to now — notably #17R, the FINA automobile, and chassis #11R— and at the moment we’re centered on #27R. Like these, that is one among 28 F1 GTR fashions; in contrast to the others we’ve lined, it’s one among simply ten longtail-bodied F1 GTRs. Strap in — that’s the primary of many crucial variations that distinguishes #27R. This F1 GTR received its first race at Silverstone in 1997, which additionally marked the primary victory for a longtail automobile. It continued to race within the FIA GT Championship, putting high six at Silverstone, Nürburgring, and Spa. It could be a powerful, one-of-a-kind automobile if we stopped right here, however there’s loads extra to say about 27R.
The longtail went on to compete in 24 Hours of Le Mans, rounding out its 1997 racing profession. In 1999 it returned to the British GT Championship with AM Racing, now owned by James Munroe. James was a person with little competitors racing expertise, and by chance recruited driver Chris Goodwin as a teammate. 27R was resprayed Papaya Orange and hit the circuit with middling outcomes. Remarkably, James Munroe was later discovered to be in reality a person named James Cox, who in reality occurred to be embezzling fairly some huge cash from writer McGraw-Hill. Cox, or Munroe, went to jail and 27R went to public sale. The brand new homeowners displayed it on the 2005 Goodwood Pageant of Velocity.
Quick ahead 4 years, F1 specialists Lanzante Restricted transformed the automobile for road use below the possession of recent proprietor Jeff Leadley. Whole value of street legalization was £110,000. Regardless of now being “road-legal,” the F1 GTR retains its prized S70/3 BMW V12 engine. The S70/3 is the race model of the S70/2 present in McLaren F1 street automobiles. It revs to eight,000 and makes just a little bit extra energy (626 hp/494 lb-ft). Longtails additionally acquired a revised six-speed gearbox, going sequential slightly than an H-pattern. The automobile was additionally featured within the the 2011 Goodwood Pageant of Velocity; the present proprietor has been steward of 27R since 2018.
Received a Few Million? You’ll Want a Few Extra
If 27R sounds just like the McLaren F1 you’ve all the time wished, you’re in luck. The automobile is up for public sale with RM Sotheby’s, and bidding opens March 5 2026. So, you’ve bought just a little bit over 30 days to get your affairs so as or promote a kidney or root by means of the sofa cushions and discover the $20 million or so the automobile is predicted to fetch at public sale. Notably, the final F1 RM bought — chassis #14, which sported a BMW of North America service historical past — went for a ridiculous $25,317,500. It trounced expectations (by round $4 million); we count on this one would possibly do the identical. Anyway, you possibly can learn extra about 27R — and see further footage of the automobile on the RM Sotheby’s public sale itemizing.
