RM Sotheby’s is pleased to announce the forthcoming sale of a true “one-of-one” example of one of the most excellent cars ever created, the iconic McLaren F1. This 1998 McLaren F1 is being offered through RM Sotheby’s proprietary online platform, Sotheby’s Sealed. The sale will begin on 18 August 2022, and bidding will remain for 48 hours.
For nearly thirty years, the McLaren F1 has remained the fastest ever naturally aspirated car and has earned its status as an automotive legend. Born of a company steeped in motorsport pedigree, the F1 was designed to be the greatest road-going automobile ever built, regardless of cost. Upon its unveiling, this was the most expensive new car ever made and in the opinion of those who purchased an F1 new, the cost was justified. Considering this car’s impact on the industry, its success in motorsport, and incredible technical innovations, the McLaren F1 is quickly approaching the highest echelons of desirability and value.
Many argue that McLaren’s F1 is the greatest car of the 20th century, a bold but justifiable one considering this car’s impact on the industry and its success in motorsport. With changing demographics in the collector car industry, the McLaren F1 is arguably on a path toward the vaunted heights of other iconic cars such as Ferrari’s 250 GTO and Alfa’s 8C 2900 in terms of desirability and value. When considered together, these three cars are a trifecta, with each representing, within its generation, the very best of design and performance. The 8C 2900 and 250 GTO have sat at the very pinnacle of collecting for decades, and the McLaren F1 can be considered worthy of inclusion within this exclusive club, making them the ‘Big Three,’ with ownership of all three signifying their respective owner as one of the world’s top car collectors.
Chassis number 059 is the only F1 to leave the factory with a unique headlight setup, making it a true one-off among the 64 road cars constructed and instantly recognizable to those in the know. Midway through the McLaren F1’s production and once some customer cars had started to accumulate mileage, it was discovered that the car had a minor Achilles heel in its headlights. Looking to rectify this, the factory quickly came up with a solution. The car presented here, chassis number 059, would be the testbed: the existing headlight internals was replaced with those from the BMW Z1 Roadster, and the headlight housings were made slightly shorter.
Acquiring this F1 would allow one to join that exclusive club of owners and drivers, achieving something that millions of enthusiasts can only dream of but few, perhaps only a few hundred people, have ever achieved. Having not been seen publicly for the last decade in its current ownership, this represents a remarkable opportunity to acquire a unique and significant F1.
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