McLaren F1: Testing and Evaluation
The F1 is a technological tour-de-force and a real triumph in terms of packaging and design. Whether endurance racing or on road, it is supremely fast, agile and yet comfortable. Its styling is enduring and will never fade. I enjoy driving mine more today than ever before because I find its technical purity highly satisfying; the F1 remains one of McLaren’s proudest achievements.
— Ron Dennis | McLaren Automotive
Performance
The F1 remains 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, the Hennessey Venom GT and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. However, all of the higher 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): 1.7 seconds
- 0–60 mph (97 km/h): 3.2 seconds
- 0–100 mph (160 km/h): 6.3 seconds
- 0–124.28 mph (200.01 km/h): 9.4 seconds
- 0–150 mph (240 km/h): 12.8 seconds
- 0–200 mph (320 km/h): 28 seconds
- 30 mph (48 km/h)-50 mph (80 km/h): 1.8 seconds, using 3rd/4th gear
- 30 mph (48 km/h)-70 mph (110 km/h): 2.1 seconds, using 3rd/4th gear
- 40 mph (64 km/h)-60 mph (97 km/h): 2.3 seconds, using 4th/5th gear
- 50 mph (80 km/h)-70 mph (110 km/h): 2.8 seconds, using 5th gear
- 180 mph (290 km/h)-200 mph (320 km/h): 7.6 seconds, using 6th gear
- 0–400 m (0.25 mi): 11.1 seconds at 138 mph (222 km/h)
- 0–1,000 m (0.62 mi): 19.6 seconds 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),[34] 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.[8] 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.
Technical specifications of each McLaren F1 derivative
Model |
F1 Road Car |
F1 GTR Race Car |
F1 LM Road Car |
| Year of production | 1993-98 | 1995 | 1996 |
| Examples built | 64 | 9 | 5 |
| Engine | BMW V12 | BMW V12 | BMW V12 |
| Cubic Capacity | 6064 cc | 6064cc | 6064cc |
| Engine Management | TAG 3.12 Ignition/Injection | TAG 3.12 Ignition/Injection | TAG 3.12 Ignition/Injection |
| Power output (bhp) | 627 | 600 | 680 |
| Transmission | Transverse 6-speed Limited Slip Differential | Aluminium case transverse 6-speed, LSD | Transverse 6-speed Racing Unit, LSD |
| Chassis | Carbon fibre reinforced composite monocoque | Carbon fibre reinforced composite monocoque | Carbon fibre reinforced composite monocoque |
| Body | Carbon fibre composite panels | Carbon fibre composite panels | Carbon fibre composite panels |
| Front Suspension | Double wishbones, Ground Plane Sheer centre sub-frame light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring, anti-roll bar | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring, anti-roll bar | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring, anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension | Double wishbones, Inclined Axis Sheer mounting, light alloy damper/coaxle coil spring, toe-in/toe-out control links | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/coaxle coil spring | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/coaxle coil spring |
| Brakes F/R | Outboard 13/12in ventilated discs | Outboard 15/14in ventilated carbon discs | Outboard 13/12in ventilated discs |
| Wheels: Diameter x Width F/R | 17×9/17×11.5in | 18×10.85/18x13in | 18×10.85/18x13in |
| Tyres F/R | Goodyear F1, Michelin SX-MXX3 | Michelin | Michelin SX-MXX3 |
| Length | 169in/4292mm | 169in/4292mm | 171.8in/4365mm |
| Width | 71.6in/1820mm | 71.6in/1820mm | 71.6in/1820mm |
| Height | 44.8in/1140mm | 44.8in/1140mm | 44.1in/1120mm |
| Wheelbase | 107in/2718mm | 107in/2718mm | 107in/2718mm |
| Track F/R | 61.7/58in / 1568/1472mm | 61.3/58.6in /1558/1488mm | 61.8/57.6in /1570/1464mm |
| Weight | 2502lb/1140kg | 2315lb/1050kg | 2341lb/1062kg |
Model |
F1 GTR Race Car |
F1 GT Road Car |
F1 GTR Race Car |
| Year of production | 1996 | 1997 | 1997 |
| Examples built | 9 | 3 | 10 |
| Engine | BMW V12 | BMW V12 | BMW V12 |
| Cubic Capacity | 6064 cc | 6064cc | 5990cc |
| Engine Management | TAG 3.12 Ignition/Injection | TAG 3.12 Ignition/Injection | TAG 3.12 Ignition/Injection |
| Power output (bhp) | 600 | 627 | 600 |
| Transmission | Magnesium case transverse 6-speed Limited Slip Differential | Transverse 6-speed, Limited Slip Differential | Magnesium case transverse 6-speed |
| Chassis | Carbon fibre reinforced composite monocoque | Carbon fibre reinforced composite monocoque | Carbon fibre reinforced composite monocoque |
| Body | Carbon fibre composite panels | Carbon fibre composite panels | Carbon fibre composite panels |
| Front Suspension | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/coaxle coil spring, anti-roll bar | Double wishbones, Ground Plane Sheer centre sub-frame light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring, anti-roll bar | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring, anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring | Double wishbones, Inclined Axis Sheer mounting, light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring, toe-in/toe-out control links | Double wishbones, light alloy damper/co-axial coil spring |
| Brakes F/R | Outboard 15/14in ventilated carbon discs | Outboard 13/12in ventilated discs | Outboard 15/14in ventilated carbon discs |
| Wheels: Diameter x Width F/R | 18×10.85/18x13in | 18×10.85/18x13in | 18×10.85/18x13in |
| Tyres F/R | Michelin | Michelin | Michelin |
| Length | 172in/4367mm | 194in/4928mm | 194.2in/4933mm |
| Width | 74.8in/1900mm | 76.4in/1940mm | 75.6in/1920mm |
| Height | 42.9in/1090mm | 47.2in/1200mm | 47.2in/1200mm |
| Wheelbase | 107in/2718mm | 107in/2718mm | 107.2in/2723mm |
| Track F/R | 61.3/58.6in 1558/1488mm |
63.3/62.3in 1620/1582mm |
63.7/62.3in 1617/1582mm |
| Weight | 2231lb/1012kg | 2469lb/1120kg | 2017lb/915kg |