McLaren F1 chassis 029 sets new auction record for classic supercar

The McLaren F1 is still one of the most revered supercars in the world, commanding multi-million dollar sales whenever an example comes up for auction across the world.

At this weekend's Gooding & Company auction in Pebble Beach, one F1 not only broke past its own estimate but also reset the auction sale record for the legendary nameplate, clearing the previous best price by just over half a million dollars.

Chassis #029 was completed at the McLaren factory in Woking on December 23, 1994, and painted in a one-off Creighton Brown finish. While initial estimates projected it could sell for upwards of US$15million (AU$20.36m ), the sale was finalised after the winning bid of US$20,465,000 (AU$27,777,000) was accepted, topping the previous best of US$19.8m.

11

Complementing its light brown exterior, the interior was upholstered in Alcantara and light tan leather with brown leather accents and carpeting throughout the cabin. Ever the perfectionists, McLaren applied the tan leather trim to this F1's four-piece luggage set, handbook and tool roll.

Initially delivered to a Japanese collector in 1995, chassis #029 has been stationary in a museum for a majority of its life, only registering 390km on the odometer, although it has been through preventative maintenance through its life, having last been officially serviced in 2008.

After changing hands a few times in Japan, the F1 was exported to the United States in 2013 and made emissions compliant, despite not being driven or displayed since the beginning of 2014 – only being started once a month to be brought up to operating temperature.

11

Reflecting its low mileage, this McLaren is still running on its original Goodyear Eagle tyres, which were specifically designed for the F1, helping to keep it under control when it set the record for the fastest production car with a top speed of 386km/h.

Among the items included in the sale were its FACOM tool chest, gold-plated titanium tools, a deluxe edition of Driving Ambition: The Official Inside Story of the McLaren F1 and a TAG Heuer 6000 Chronometer watch.

Chassis 029 is understood to be the lowest mileage F1 in the world, with its other 63 siblings having either been displayed, used and enjoyed or crashed, a common byproduct of delivering nearly 470kW to the rear wheels of a car designed in the early 1990s.

11