conceptcarz.com

1995 McLaren F1 LM

In 1995, seven McLaren F1 GTRs were entered into the grueling and prestigious LeMans 24 Hours race. When the checkered flag fell, the GTR had captured an astonishing 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 13th overall and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the GT class. McLaren became the first manufacturer to score four of the top five places with a vehicle debut. The winning GTR had never been raced prior to the race and has not been raced since.

The F1 GTR cars were built by McLaren cars LTD which is a subsidiary of the McLaren Formula One Team. At the time of its development, it was the most expensive, most powerful, and fastest production car in the world. This unique vehicle had a modified BMW 6.1 liter 12-cylinder engine placed in the rear to capitalize on weight-distribution. With nearly 630 horsepower, the F1 GTR could race from zero-to-sixty mph in just over three seconds and had a reported top speed of over 230 mph. It holds the record for the highest top speed of 240.1 mph.

There were three seats, with the driver sitting in the middle. The purpose was to once again capitalize on weight distribution and provide the driver with optimal viewing capabilities of the road. The drawback was that it is difficult to enter and exit this vehicle. The driver had to negotiate their body into this very low vehicle and then climb over a passenger seat. To be in command of these highly capable machines is well worth the obstacle course.

During the production lifespan, lasting from 1991 to 1998, only 106 cars were created, making this a very exclusive automobile. The McLaren F1 production began in 1991 and resulted in a total of 64 examples being created. There were five LM cars created to celebrate the historical achievements accomplished at LeMans, one for each of the F1 GTRs that finished the LeMans race. The F1 LM was very similar to the LeMans cars but they were modified to achieve street-legal status. The engine was tuned slightly to produce an astonishing 680 horsepower. There were three GT models created. The GT cars were built to capitalize on down-force, much like the LeMans cars had done. The bodywork was extended and a redesign of the rear deck helped achieve this low drag goal.

The LM was powered by the most potent version of any F1, road or race, by using an 1995 GTR engine without the air restrictions. With 680 bhp and weighing some 60kg less than the F1 road car, the F1 LM is the fastest accelerating F1 of all. They received the race car aerodynamics, gearbox, and eighteen-inch wheels. As a tribute to the memory of Bruce McLaren, all the F1 LMs were painted in the same Papaya Orange that was used on his contemporary Formula One and Can-Am cars.

From 1995 through 1998, twenty-eight examples of the GTR were created. The F1 GTRs varied slightly from year to year. Some were designed to race in 4 hour races while others were built for 24 hour endurance races. Specifications often varied based on the race and on the buyer.

In 1996, the BPR GT Series created regulations that limited to the maximum engine output to no more than 600 horsepower and must have a minimum weight of 1000kg. McLaren responded by shedding around 100KG and achieving the minimum weight requirements. The engine was detuned to produce 600 horsepower. Aerodynamics and down-force were improved by the adaptation of a larger rear wing. At the 1996 LeMans, the F1 GTR finished in fourth-place overall.

The changes continued in 1997 when stricter regulations were placed on the FIA GT Series and the LeMans 24 Hour race. Weight reduction, aerodynamic changes, engine improvements, and a new sequential transmission were a few of the necessary modifications to the vehicle. When all was said-and-done, the vehicle weighed in at just over 910 kg.


by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2006

Related Reading : McLaren F1 History

The idea for the McLaren F1 was born in an Italian airport lounge where Gordon Murray, Creighton Brown, Ron Dennis, and Mansour Ojjeh were waiting for their planes to take off. McLaren was chosen to be the builder because of their experience and proven capabilities in the sport of Grand Prix racing. Fast-forward thirty-four months and the first prototype McLaren F1 was complete. In 1993 the first....
Continue Reading >>

1995 McLaren F1 LM Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

$2,400-$1,250,000
1995 F1 LM
1995 McLaren F1 LM Base Price : $1,250,000

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1995 McLaren Models

F1 LM

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
107.01 in.
12 cyl., 370.05 CID., 668.00hp

Related Automotive News

Mika Häkkinen To Drive The Historic 1970 McLaren M8D Can-Am 'Batmobile' At Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Mika Häkkinen To Drive The Historic 1970 McLaren M8D Can-Am 'Batmobile' At Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Two-time Formula 1 champion to demo famed car once driven by Dan Gurney and Peter Gethin MONTEREY, Calif., June 20, 2019 — 20 years after earning his second consecutive Formula One drivers championship, Mika Hakkinen will demonstrate...
McLaren Special Operations Debuts 'Racing Through The Ages' Collection Commissioned By McLaren Beverly Hills

McLaren Special Operations Debuts 'Racing Through The Ages' Collection Commissioned By McLaren Beverly Hills

Three distinct themes represent significant periods of McLarens racing history Muriwai, Papaya Spark and Sarthe Grey Featuring a 570S Coupe and 570S Spider in each theme for a total of six cars, the collection was revealed during an Evenin...
THE McLAREN F1

THE McLAREN F1

FOR THE DRIVER VITALLY – AS IN ONE OF McLARENS WORLD CHAMPION RACING CARS – DRIVER AND VEHICLE BECOME ENTIRELY AS ONE The primary design consideration for the McLaren F1 has been to make it without reserve a drivers car, an extremely high-performance...
GORDON MURRAY DESIGN ANNOUNCE 'iSTREAM® CARBON': A REVOLUTION IN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING

GORDON MURRAY DESIGN ANNOUNCE 'iSTREAM® CARBON': A REVOLUTION IN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING

iStream® Carbon is being shown for the first time at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and is the chassis technology used for the Yamaha Sports Ride Concept sports car project. The Sports Ride Concept is an in house Yamaha concept design based on an iStream®...
1969 24 Hours of Le Mans: A Traditional Statement Provides a Memorable Race

1969 24 Hours of Le Mans: A Traditional Statement Provides a Memorable Race

What if a statement ended up costing one of the biggest victories of ones career Would it be worth it Jacky Ickx would come close to finding out as he approached the checkered flag on the afternoon of the 15th of June in 1969. Ford had determined...