Final McLaren F1 fetches £2.53 million
30 October 2008
The final road-going McLaren F1 has been sold for more than £2.5 million - dwarfing the £1.1 - £1.4 million it was expected to fetch.
Only 64 of the iconic sports cars were ever-built and the last one off the line – marked number 65 on the chassis – sparked a tense bidding war in London last night.
Built between 1993 and 1997 the 6.1-litre 627bhp McLaren F1 hypercar is still Britain’s fastest ever production car with a top speed of 240mph and a 0-60mph time of 3.2 seconds.
The nearly-new three-seater – it was sold with just 484km (300 miles) on the clock – was the star of the show at the Automobiles of London auction in Battersea Park.
The exclusive event featured a total of 100 models – limited editions and rare cars - including eccentric car designer Andy Saunders’ wacky one-offs featured in our World’s Craziest Cars for Sale feature this week.
The 45-year-old car-tist’s selection of 11 unique cars sold for almost £250,000.
His 1936 Cord 810 Convertible Coupe claimed the top price at £99,000 while his realisation of a 1958 Ford concept, the Ford X-2000 fetched £41,250, a Picasso-inspired 2CV £8,000, a “Hummer” created from a 1998 Suzuki Wagon R £5,500 and the “Flat Out” - a 1989 Fiat 126 he converted into a 22 inch tall sports car made £6,600.
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Mr Saunders said: "Most of the cars have gone to a museum in America. I haven't come down yet. I'm absolutely befuddled, I can't think straight."
The other big stars of the show included a 1965 Ferrari 250 LM Berlinetta and 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France – which both went under the hammer for £2,255,000 while a 1955 Ford Thunderbird which once belonged to Hollywood star John Travolta fetched £18,700.
Speaking after the McLaren F1 was snapped up RM Auctions’ Max Girado said: “The McLaren F1 is quite simply one of the most contemporary cars ever produced and tops a sale that has again shown that great cars attract great prices.”
Supercar video: The McLaren's £2.53 million sale figure eclipses the £1.8 million fetched for the world's first Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. Watch the Bugatti in action.
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