Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions set a record auction price on August 14, 2021, fetching $20.465 million for a unique ‘time capsule’ McLaren F1 road car. These incredible prices come at a time when sports car sales are increasing.
The example’s odometer shows less than 390 kilometers (243 miles) and is sold in its ‘as delivered’ state. It beat the previous record of $15.62 million that was set in 2017 for another McLaren F1 road car. The closest to the price is the McLaren Special Operations Working factory that was converted to an ultra-rare LM specification. In 2019, it was sold for $19.8 million.
Chassis 029 spent most of its life in a private Japanese collection and was rarely seen in public. When it crossed the auction block at Gooding & Company in Monterey, it attracted a very spirited bidding crowd. The example was rarely driven yet carefully maintained. It was kept in immaculate, original condition up to its date coded Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. The example would also come with its original FACOM tool chest, titanium tool kit, official ‘Driving Ambition’ book, fitted luggage, and even its special TAG Heuer watch.
The 1995 example is the 25th road car manufactured, and it is the only one that was given a gorgeous one-off Creighton Brown finish, named after the executive who was one of the key persons in establishing the young McLaren Cars company. The three-seater cockpit was given a Light Tan and Dark Brown leather upholstery to match the unique exterior.
Only 106 units of the truly iconic three-seater F1 road cars were made between 1992-1998. Only 64 of those were completed to original road car specification. Until today, the V12-engined supercar is the fastest naturally aspirated production car. It is capable of reaching a top speed of 240mph, confirming its status of being one of the most coveted of all collector cars.
Gooding and Company President and Founder David Gooding shared, “We were incredibly proud to present this exceptional McLaren F1, and tonight, the market confirmed the sheer prowess of this unparalleled supercar from one of the most legendary names in motoring. This sale was a historic moment not only for Gooding & Company, but for the McLaren legacy and the entire industry as a whole.”
