Imagine something as spectacularly ludicrous as driving a McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ – the ultimate and most extreme iteration of what is commonly held as the greatest supercar ever built – for a dawn raid on the Swiss Alps. Thanks to one very kind individual, the fantasy recently became a reality…
As we slowly negotiate the exit of the underground carpark and head out onto the roads of Arosa, the spine-tingling bark of the 6.1-litre V12 warming through is electrocuting our every single nerve ending. It feels like no sooner had the Gulf-liveried warrior arrived entirely unannounced at theArosa Classic Car than we’re nestled in the iconic three-seater cabin and prowling through the lingering morning mist.
When Gordon Murray set about designing the ultimate, zero-compromise driver’s car for the road, he actually told Ron Dennis not to come back later and ask for it to be a racing car. But pressure from customers, who saw the newly formed BPR Endurance Championship as a prime arena in which the F1 could compete and likely succeed, led to the birth of the GTR. A compromised racer it might have been, but the F1 GTR became the McLaren that won Le Mans.
The arrival of the Porsche and AMG-Mercedes factory teams, whose interpretation of the rules and spirit of the flourishing sports car championship were somewhat questionable, forced McLaren to up its game ahead of the 1997 season. Where the original GTRs were essentially modified road cars, Murray’s revised F1 ‘Longtail’ was an entirely different beast. The most prominent changes were the extended front and rear overhangs, which finally provided the downforce needed to rival the Porsche 911 GT1s and Mercedes CLK GTRs.
The 1997 FIA GT Championship (which the BPR had evolved into) proved to be one of the most dramatic and hard-fought in decades. And though McLaren ultimately lost out on the title, the season-long battle with AMG-Mercedes went down to the wire.
This specific F1 GTR is chassis 28R, the last of just 10 ‘Longtails’ built to contest that now fabled season. It began life as a spare car for the GTC Gulf Team Davidoff outfit and was whisked into action during the second half of the season, its drivers Geoff Lees and Anders Olofsson scoring two sixth-position finishes at Suzuka and the final round at Laguna Seca.
More recently, the 28R was given a new lease of life by the wizards at Lanzante, who converted the former racer to road-legal specifications. Rather childishly, we’ve always thought the idea of using a racing car for as mundane a task as taking your children to school, picking up groceries, or hitting the drive-thru rather amusing. Because if you’re going to go about them in a car as impractical as a low-slung modern supercar, why not go the whole hog and opt for something so hilariously unsuitable that the driving – which can often be a chore in this day and age – becomes an unforgettable event in itself?
As is always the case with any former racing car, it’s the competition-oriented trinkets and details that arrest you the most. And this being a McLaren F1, they’re even more abundant and particularly exquisite. From the intricate pedal box – a work of pure art in itself – to the purple-topped titanium-nitride gear stick and the control panel littered with uniformly labelled knobs and switches, the latter of which makes you wonder how drivers ever found what they were looking for in the dead of night at Le Mans.
The timing of our rendezvous with the McLaren is appropriate. Currently, the automotive press is getting its hands on the Woking company’s new 600LT, which, just like the 675LT that preceded it, takes its inspiration from the F1 GTR ‘Longtail’. But while that car is a sanitised road car filled with nannying technological aids and creature comforts, we’re completely overwhelmed by the no-frills and raw experience of the F1. The car’s new registration plate – ’28 LOL’ – ‘says it all. We were left laughing out loud!
It’s the ultimate iteration of the ultimate road-going supercar. And given its competition pedigree, we’re not sure the F1 will ever be superseded. Kudos to the owner for actually using the car and getting it mucky – the casual observer could quite reasonably assume this car had just finished a 1,000km race. But how wrong they’d be. The impression will be seared in our memories for decades to come.
Photos: Mathieu Bonnevie for Classic Driver © 2018
FAQs
There are just 10 examples of the McLaren F1 GTR Longtail in existence and while each of those is likely worth upwards of $20 million, the owner of one of them recently sent the car to Lanzante where it was modified and made road legal.
How many McLaren F1 GTR longtail were made? ›
McLaren only made a total of 28 GTRs but only 10 were built in the later Longtail specification.
Is the McLaren F1 GTR longtail road legal? ›
The Longtail, named as such for its extended rear end and massive wing, was purely built as a race car and was never made into a road car. However, some brilliant lunatic had a McLaren F1 GTR Longtail fully converted into a street-legal road car and it's both amazing and terrifying. Let's start with why it's amazing.
How much horsepower does the McLaren F1 GTR longtail have? ›
The engine is a BMW-sourced S70/2 6.1-liter V12 that produces a jaw-dropping 600 horsepower.
Is a McLaren F1 GTR street-legal? ›
A handful of GTRs were not only bought by private owners, but also extensively modified by McLaren to make them street-legal.
What is the rarest McLaren in the world? ›
is an incredibly rare car. Now you can experience the. world's most powerful non-hybrid McLaren production.
Is the McLaren F1 GTR rare? ›
There is simply no overstating how mind-blowing the F1 and its race-bred counterpart, the F1 GTR, were in the early 1990s. Just 104 F1s were ever made, but the F1 GTR is even rarer (26 made), and its GTR "Longtail" variant is rarer still (with only 10 in existence). And one of those GTR Longtails is for sale right now.
Why is the McLaren F1 so rare? ›
Beautifully engineered and exceptionally quick, the F1 broke numerous world records during the '90s, and it remains the fastest naturally aspirated road car ever built. Only 106 cars were made in a limited production run, making the F1 one of the most exclusive cars in the world today.
How many McLaren F1 are left? ›
Only 100 McLaren F1 street and race cars remain in existence. Here's their whereabouts. The McLaren F1 has been the supercar since production of the famed three-seater began back in 1992.
Are Mclarens legal? ›
The McLaren 620R is a Road-Legal Track Car.
No. F1 cars don't have traction control and are designed to be driven on tracks with specific types of surfaces, and those surfaces are not street roads. They also require a team of people to keep them going.
Why isn t F1 road legal? ›
No, it is not legal or safe to drive a Formula One car on normal roads. Formula One cars are designed and built specifically for racing on closed circuits, and they are not designed to meet the safety and performance standards required for road use.
What is the top speed of a McLaren F1 longtail? ›
With the McLaren F1's top speed of 240 MPH, it set world records, and with the McLaren F1's 0-60 MPH time of 3.2 seconds, this decades-old model can still keep up with the fastest cars being produced today. Take a moment to learn about the McLaren F1 engine specs, and other highlights.
What is the fastest McLaren F1 GTR? ›
The record consisted of an independently measured 240.1 mph (386.4 km/h) two-way average (peak speed 243 mph (391 km/h) measured by McLaren) with the rev-limiter raised to 8,300 rpm. As of 2022, the F1 remains the fastest naturally aspirated production car in the world, a record that has been held for 24 years.
What is the fastest McLaren GTR? ›
The fastest McLaren car is the McLaren Speedtail.
A stunning 250 mph. With a dry weight of 1,430 kg, the McLaren Speedtail is exceptionally light, so expect momentous acceleration.
How many McLaren F1 GT are left? ›
Only 100 McLaren F1 street and race cars remain in existence. Here's their whereabouts. The McLaren F1 has been the supercar since production of the famed three-seater began back in 1992.
How much is a McLaren GTR worth? ›
During production, the McLaren P1™ GTR price cost roughly $3.1 million. You'll be hard-pressed to find a McLaren P1™ GTR for sale, given their scarcity, but take a moment to review the highlights from the McLaren P1™ GTR interior, McLaren P1™ GTR price, and McLaren P1™ GTR performance.
How many McLaren F1 Gtrs exist? ›
Only 106 cars were manufactured: 5 prototypes (XP1, XP2, XP3, XP4, XP5), 64 road versions (F1), 1 tuned developmental prototype (XP1 LM), 5 tuned versions (LM), 1 longtail developmental prototype (XPGT), 2 longtail versions (GT), and 28 racecars (GTR). Production began in 1992 and ended in 1998.
