McLaren F1 LM proves the P1 has the best genes

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McLaren F1 LM

The McLaren F1 is 20-year-old exotic that was the most expensive production car in the world when it went on sale for 540,000 pounds. That's about $810,000 US at current rates; in 1995, however, while the pound-to-dollar exchange rate was about the same as today, the automotive world hadn't got used to there being a new million-dollar car announced or launched every quarter.

McLaren brought the production prototype of the F1 LM to the Geneva Motor Show to offer another look at what was. This was tester for the production version of the Le Mans-winning F1 GTR, of which five would be built. It carried over the race car's aero accoutrements like the wing and extra venting but shed the restrictor, making 680 horsepower from the 6.1-liter BMW V12 - the standard F1 made 627 hp.

Twenty years is a long time to be put on a pedestal, but the innovation and the results prove it still belongs there. We'll find out this year if the P1 has the right to join it.

McLaren F1 LM proves the P1 has the best genes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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