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Revision as of 05:47, 19 November 2013 by 187.151.193.43 (talk) (→Design and implementation)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) For the Formula One team, see McLaren. Motor vehicle| McLaren F1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | McLaren Automotive |
| Production | 1992–1998 (106 produced) |
| Assembly | Woking, Surrey, England, UK |
| Designer | Gordon Murray & Peter Stevens |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related | McLaren F1 GTR BMW 850 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 6.1 L S70/2 V12 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,718 mm (107.0 in) |
| Length | 4,287 mm (168.8 in) |
| Width | 1,820 mm (71.7 in) |
| Height | 1,140 mm (44.9 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,138–1,062 kg (2,509–2,341 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | McLaren P1 |
The McLaren F1 is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior and interior of the car. On 31 March 1998, it set the record for the world's fastest production car in the world, reaching 231 mph (372 km/h) with the rev limiter enabled, and 243 mph (391 km/h) with the rev limiter removed.
The car features numerous proprietary designs and technologies; it is lighter and has a more streamlined structure than many modern sports cars, despite having one seat more than most similar sports cars, with the driver's seat located in the centre (and slightly forward) of two passengers' seating positions, providing driver visibility superior to that of a conventional seating layout. It features a powerful engine and is somewhat track oriented, but not to the degree that it compromises everyday usability and comfort. It was conceived as an exercise in creating what its designers hoped would be considered the ultimate road car. Despite not having been designed as a track machine, a modified race car edition of the vehicle won several races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, where it faced purpose-built prototype race cars. Production began in 1992 and ended in 1998. In all, 106 cars were manufactured, with some variations in the design.
In 1994, the British car magazine Autocar stated in a road test regarding the F1, "The McLaren F1 is the finest driving machine yet built for the public road." and that "The F1 will be remembered as one of the great events in the history of the car, and it may possibly be the fastest production road car the world will ever see."
In August 2013, at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Gooding & Company auctioned off chassis 066 for a record sale price of US$8.47 million.
Design and implementation
Chief engineer Gordon Murray's design concept was a common one among designers of high-performance cars: low weight and high power. This was achieved through use of high-tech and expensive materials such as carbon fibre, titanium, gold, magnesium and kevlar. The F1 was the first production car to use a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
Purchase and maintenance
Only 106 cars were manufactured, 64 of which were the standard street version (F1), five were LMs (tuned versions), three were longtail roadcars (GT), five prototypes (XP), 28 racecars (GTR) and one LM prototype (XP LM). Production began in 1992 and ended in 1998. At the time of production each machine took around three and a half months to make.
Although production stopped in 1998, McLaren still maintains an extensive support and service network for the F1. There are eight authorised service centres throughout the world, and McLaren will on occasion fly a specialised technician to the owner of the car or the service centre. All of the technicians have undergone dedicated training in service of the McLaren F1. In cases where major structural damage has occurred, the car can be returned to McLaren directly for repair.
Performance
The F1 remains as of 2013 one of the fastest production cars ever made; as of July 2013 it is succeeded by very few cars, including the Koenigsegg Agera R, the Bugatti Veyron, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. However, all of the superior top speed machines use forced induction to reach their respective top speeds, whereas the McLaren F1 is naturally aspirated.
Acceleration
- 0-30 mph (48 km/h): 1.8 s
- 0–60 mph (97 km/h): 3.2 s
- 0–100 mph (160 km/h): 6.3 s
- 0–124.28 mph (200.01 km/h): 9.4 s
- 0–150 mph (240 km/h): 12.8 s
- 0–200 mph (320 km/h): 28 s
- 30 mph (48 km/h)-50 mph (80 km/h): 1.8 s, using 3rd/4th gear
- 30 mph (48 km/h)-70 mph (110 km/h): 2.1 s, using 3rd/4th gear
- 40 mph (64 km/h)-60 mph (97 km/h): 2.3 s, using 4th/5th gear
- 50 mph (80 km/h)-70 mph (110 km/h): 2.8 s, using 5th gear
- 180 mph (290 km/h)-200 mph (320 km/h): 7.6 s, using 6th gear
- 0–400 m (0.25 mi): 11.1 s at 138 mph (222 km/h)
- 0–1,000 m (0.62 mi): 19.6 s at 177 mph (285 km/h)
Track tests
- Tsukuba Circuit, time trial: 1:04.62 on a hot lap.
- Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, 2-mile (3.2 km) banked circuit, top speed test: An average speed of 195.3 mph (314.3 km/h), with a maximum speed of 200.8 mph (323.2 km/h) (driven by Tiff Needell using the XP5 prototype).
- MIRA, 2.82-mile (4.54 km) banked circuit, top speed test: An average speed of 168 mph (270 km/h), with a maximum speed of 196.2 mph (315.8 km/h) (driven by Peter Taylor).
Record claims
The title of "world's fastest production road car" is constantly in contention, especially because the term "production car" is not well-defined.
The McLaren F1 has a top speed of 240 mph (386 km/h), restricted by the rev limiter at 7500 rpm. The true top speed of the McLaren F1 was reached in April 1998 by the five-year-old XP5 prototype. Andy Wallace (racer) piloted it down the 9 km (5.6 mi) straight at Volkswagen's test track in Ehra-Lessien, Germany, setting a new world record of 243 mph (391 km/h) at 8300 rpm. As Mario Andretti noted in a comparison test, the F1 is fully capable of pulling a seventh gear, thus with a higher gear ratio or a seventh gear the McLaren F1 would probably be able to reach an even greater top speed—something which can also be observed by noticing that the top speed was reached at 7800 rpm while the peak power is reached at 7400 rpm.
Variants
| Variant | Road | Prototype | Race | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1s | 64 | 5 | 69 | |
| F1 LMs | 5 | 1 | 6 | |
| F1 GTs | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| F1 GTR | 28 | 28 | ||
| Total | 71 | 7 | 28 | 106 |
The McLaren F1 road car, of which 64 were originally sold, saw several different modifications over its production span which were badged as different models. Of the road versions, 21 are reportedly in the United States. One of the completed street cars remained in McLaren's London showroom for a decade before being offered for sale as new in 2004. This vehicle became the 65th McLaren F1 sold. The showroom, which was on London's luxurious Park Lane, has since closed. The company maintains a database to match up prospective sellers and buyers of the cars.
Prototypes
Prior to the sale of the first McLaren F1s, five prototypes were built, carrying the numbers XP1 through XP5. These cars carried minor subtle differences between each other as well as between the production road cars. XP1 was the first publicly unveiled car, and later destroyed in the accident in Namibia. XP2 was used for crash testing and also destroyed. Neither was ever painted. XP3 did durability testing, XP4 stress tested the gearbox system and XP5 was a publicity car, all owned by McLaren; they were also used for publicity shots and tested by reporters. All were painted a different colour, and each was able to be distinguished by its chassis code painted on the side rocker panel.XP3 is owned by the car's designer Gordon Murray, XP4 was seen by many viewers of Top Gear when reviewed by Tiff Needell in the mid-1990s, while XP5 went on to be used in McLaren's famous top speed run.
Ameritech
The American model of the McLaren F1, the Ameritech McLaren F1 is a modified standard McLaren F1 to meet the U.S. regulations; to comply with said regulations the car had to meet stricter emission requirements which increased the weight and also reduced the power somewhat. Due to a lack of airbags for the passengers, the Ameritech edition only has the single driver seat in the middle.
F1 LM
Motor vehicle| McLaren F1 LM | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | McLaren Automotive |
| Production | 1995 5 produced (plus one prototype) |
| Designer | Gordon Murray |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | 2-door 3-seat coupé |
| Layout | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 6.1 L V12 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,718 mm (107.0 in) |
| Length | 4,365 mm (171.9 in) |
| Width | 1,820 mm (71.7 in) |
| Height | 1,120 mm (44.1 in) |
| Kerb weight | 1,062 kg (2,341 lb) |
Only five McLaren F1 LM (LM for Le Mans) cars were built in honour of the five McLaren F1 GTRs which finished the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, including taking the overall win.
The weight was reduced by approximately 75 kg (165 lb) over that of original, through the removal of various pieces of trim and use of optional equipment. The car also had a different transaxle, various aerodynamic modifications, specially designed 18-inch (457 mm) magnesium alloy wheels and upgraded gearbox. The F1 LM used the same engine as the 1995 F1 GTR, but without race-mandated restrictors, to produce 680 hp (507 kW; 689 PS). It had a top speed of 225 mph (362 km/h), which is less than the standard version because of added aerodynamic drag, despite identical gear ratios. The LM is 76 kg (168 lb) lighter than the stock F1 – a total mass of 1,062 kg (2,341 lb) – achieved by having no interior noise suppression, no audio system, a stripped-down base interior, no fan-assisted ground effect and no dynamic rear wing. In the place of the small dynamic rear wing there is a considerably larger, fixed CFRP rear wing mounted on the back of the vehicle.
The LM has the following performance figures: peak torque of 705 N⋅m (520 lbf⋅ft) at 4,500 rpm and peak power of 680 PS (500 kW; 670 hp) at 7,800 rpm, it has a redline at 8,500 rpm. The total weight of 1,062 kg (2,341 lb) gives the car a 110.16 bhp (82 kW; 112 PS) per litre ratio.
Officially recorded acceleration times are 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and 0-100 mph (161 km/h) in 6.7 seconds. The LM was once the holder of the 0-100-0 mph record, which it completed in 11.5 seconds when driven by Andy Wallace at the disused airbase RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire.
The F1 LMs can be identified by their Papaya Orange paint. The F1 LMs were painted in this colour in memory of, and tribute to, Bruce McLaren, whose race colour was Papaya Orange.
Although only five F1 LMs were sold, a sixth chassis exists in the form of XP1 LM, the prototype for modifications to the existing F1 to form the new F1 LM. This car is also painted Papaya Orange and is retained by McLaren. This car, reportedly worth $4 million, was promised in 2008 by McLaren CEO Ron Dennis to his driver Lewis Hamilton if he should win two Formula One World Championship titles. Hamilton has since won one World Championship.
F1 GT
The final incarnation of the roadcar, the F1 GT was meant as a homologation special. With increased competition from homologated sports cars from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz in the former BPR Global GT Series and new FIA GT Championship, McLaren required extensive modification to the F1 GTR in order to remain competitive. These modifications were so vast that McLaren would be required to build a production road-legal car on which to base the new race cars.
The F1 GT featured the same extended rear bodywork as the GTRs for increased downforce and reduced drag, yet lacked the rear wing that had been seen on the F1 LM. The downforce generated by the longer tail was found to be sufficient to not require the wing. The front end was also similar to the racing car, with extra louvers and the wheel arches widened to fit larger wheels. The interior was modified and a racing steering wheel was included in place of the standard unit.
The F1 GTs were built from standard F1 road car chassis, retaining their production numbers. The prototype GT, known as XPGT, was F1 chassis #056, and is still kept by McLaren. The company technically only needed to build one car and did not even have to sell it. However, demand from customers drove McLaren to build two production versions that were sold. The customer F1 GTs were chassis #054 and #058.
Motorsports
Main article: McLaren F1 GTRFollowing its initial launch as a road car, motorsports teams convinced McLaren to build racing versions of the F1 to compete in international series. Three different versions of the race car were developed from 1995 to 1997.
Many F1 GTRs, after the cars were no longer eligible in international racing series, were converted to street use. By adding mufflers, passenger seats, adjusting the suspension for more ground clearance for public streets, and removing the air restrictors, the cars were able to be registered for road use.
F1 GTR 1995
Built at the request of race teams, such as those owned by Ray Bellm and Thomas Bscher, in order to compete in the BPR Global GT Series, the McLaren F1 GTR was a custom-built race car which introduced a modified engine management system that increased power output — however, air-restrictors mandated by racing regulations reduced the power back to 600 hp (450 kW) at 7,500 rpm. The car's extensive modifications included changes to body panels, suspension, aerodynamics and the interior. The F1 GTR would go on to take its greatest achievement with first, third, fourth, fifth, and 13th places in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, beating out custom built prototype sports cars.
In total, nine F1 GTRs would be built for 1995.
F1 GTR 1996
To follow up on the success of the F1 GTR into 1996, McLaren further developed the 1995 model, leading to a size increase but weight decrease. Nine more F1 GTRs were built to 1996 spec, while some 1995 cars were still campaigned by privateers. F1 GTR 1996 chassis #14R is notable as being the first non-Japanese car to win a race in the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC). The car was driven by David Brabham and John Nielsen. The weight was reduced with around 100 kg (220 lb) from the 1995 GTR edition and the engine was kept detuned at 600 HP to comply with racing regulations.
F1 GTR 1997
With the F1 GT homologated, McLaren could now develop the F1 GTR for the 1997 season. Weight was further reduced and a sequential gearbox was added. The engine was slightly destroked to 6.0 L instead of the previous 6.1 L. Due to the heavily modified bodywork, the F1 GTR 1997 is often referred to as the "Longtail" thanks to the rear bodywork being extended to increase rear downforce. A total of ten F1 GTR 1997 models were built. The weight was reduced to a total of 910 kg (2,010 lb).
References
- ^ McLaren Automotive – Production from mclarenautomotive.com
- ^ "on the standard F1". Autocar.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- "McLaren F1 sells for record price". AUSmotive.com. 19 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
- ^ "RM Auctions on the standard F1". Rmauctions.com. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- "Koenigsegg CCR top speed".
- "Bugatti Veyron top speed".
- "SSC Ultimate Aero TT top speed".
- ^ FastestLaps on the standard F1
- ^ McLaren Automotive F1 track records
- ^ "McLaren F1 top speed with rev limit and without". Users.globalnet.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- Cite error: The named reference
Supercarsnetwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - Cite error: The named reference
Modern Racerwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - "McLaren Automotive – LM history".
- "McLaren Automotive – LM specifications".
- ^ "MotorTrend, with CAR Magazine, April 2000".
- "McLaren F1 LM Roadcar – Track Record". McLaren Automotive Ltd. Archived from the original on 21 April 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
- Piecha, Stan (26 March 2008). "The Sun – Hamilton promised $4m supercar if he wins 2 titles". London.
- "Supercars on the McLaren F1 GT".
- ^ McLaren F1 GTR general information from ConceptCarz
- ^ McLaren F1 GTR 1995 general information from QV500
- Driving Ambition: The Official Inside Story of the McLaren F1 (ISBN 1852278412)
- Haymarket Magazines Ltd 1994, "F1 – McLaren's road car"
- F1 – McLaren's road car, An Autocar & Motor Book
- McLaren F1 GTR LM Sportscars Performance Portfolio (ISBN 1855206552)
- The Fastest Cars From Around The World (ISBN 0-75254-100-5)
External links
- Video of the McLaren F1 XP5 prototype tested in top speed
- Official McLaren Automotive website
- McLaren F1 in detail at Octane Magazine.
- Exclusive: The Cars of the McLaren F1 Tour at Bold Ride.
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