The company's first car was the McLaren F1, a sports car and also a supercar priced at £640,000 (approx. US$ 1,150,000). The F1 was a three seat coupe with the driver situated in the middle of the car. The car was designed by Gordon Murray who also designed some very competitive formula one racecars for McLaren. The 6064 cc V12 engine, which produces 627 bhp (468 kW; 636 PS), was designed and built by BMW.
Production of the original F1 began in 1992. The LM model was then introduced in 1995 and the GT model, in 1997. The GTR was built from 1995 through 1997. Production of the McLaren F1 drew to a close in May 1998, with a total production of 100 cars. Variants produced were 64 F1 (street car), 5 LM, 3 GT, 9 GTR95, 9 GTR96 and 10 GTR97.
The McLaren F1 GTR was developed from the F1 road car, and proved highly effective in the four hour GT races in 1995, its first season of racing. Le Mans 24 Hours that year was to be McLaren’s first attempt at the world’s most prestigious endurance race.
McLaren decided to update the 001 chassis–the original test car–and enter it to augment the five customer cars that had been running all season. It was this car, piloted by former Formula One racers JJ Lehto and Yannick Dalmas and experienced Japanese driver Masanori Sekiya that took the chequered flag after a race full of drama.
McLaren F1 GTRs finished 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th, not only winning the race at its first attempt, but totally dominating this most gruelling of events.
The F1 previously held the record for the fastest production car ever made, with an independently measured top speed of 241.35 mph (391 km/h). It has a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds. This has been bettered by the Caparo T1, Koenigsegg CCX, Bugatti Veyron 16.4, Saleen S7, and the SSC Ultimate Aero TT. However, the F1 is naturally aspirated while the CCX, Veyron and SSC Aero are not.
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