McLaren Owners Group

[edit] McLaren M81 Mustang
Ford announced the formation of a Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division headed by Michael Kranefuss in September 1980. SVO's stated purpose was to "develop a series of limited-production performance cars and develop their image through motorsport." Ford introduced the McLaren M81 Mustang in late 1980. The work of designers Todd Gerstenberger and Harry Wykes, it was another heavily modified hatchback with enough built-in potential for easy adaptation to race duty. Looking somewhat like the IMSA show car, the McLaren sported a grille-less nose above a low-riding "skirt" spoiler, plus functional hood scoops, tweaked suspension (mostly a mix of heavy-duty off-the-shelf components), massive fender flares, and premium German BBS alloy wheels wearing broad-shouldered 225/55R15 Firestone HPR radials.

The McLaren Mustang teamed Ford Design with McLaren Performance of Formula 1 racing fame. Just 250 were built, all with turbo-four engines featuring a competition-style variable boost control. Power was again provided by the turbo-four, but it was newly fortified with a variable boost control having a range of 5-11 psi vs. the regular engine's fixed 5 psi. Rated output was 175 horsepower at 10 psi, a big jump over the 132-horse stock mill. A $25,000 price tag and virtual hand construction limited McLaren production to just 250 units (including the prototype). [1].


[edit] McLaren F1
Main article: McLaren F1

McLaren F1The company's first car was the McLaren F1, a sports car and also a supercar priced at £640,000 (approx. US$ 1,150,000). The F1 was a three seat coupe with the driver situated in the middle of the car. The car was designed by Gordon Murray who also designed some very competitive formula one racecars for McLaren. The 6064 cc V12 engine, which produces 627 bhp (468 kW; 636 PS), was designed and built by BMW.

Production of the original F1 began in 1992. The LM model was then introduced in 1995 and the GT model, in 1997. The GTR was built from 1995 through 1997. Production of the McLaren F1 drew to a close in May 1998, with a total production of 100 cars. Variants produced were 64 F1 (street car), 5 LM, 3 GT, 9 GTR95, 9 GTR96 and 10 GTR97.

The McLaren F1 GTR was developed from the F1 road car, and proved highly effective in the four hour GT races in 1995, its first season of racing. Le Mans 24 Hours that year was to be McLaren’s first attempt at the world’s most prestigious endurance race.


McLaren logo from the sill plate of a McLaren F1McLaren decided to update the 001 chassis–the original test car–and enter it to augment the five customer cars that had been running all season. It was this car, piloted by former Formula 1 racers JJ Lehto and Yannick Dalmas and experienced Japanese driver Masanori Sekiya that took the chequered flag after a race full of drama.

McLaren F1 GTRs finished 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th, not only winning the race at its first attempt, but totally dominating this most gruelling of events.

The F1 previously held the record for the fastest production car ever made, with an independently measured top speed of 241.35 mph (391 km/h). It has a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds. This has been bettered by the Caparo T1, Koenigsegg CCX, Bugatti Veyron 16.4, Saleen S7, and the SSC Ultimate Aero TT. However, the F1 is naturally aspirated while the CCX, Veyron and SSC Aero are not.


[edit] McLaren Mercedes MP4/98T
Launched in Australia at the beginning of the 1998 Grand Prix season, the West McLaren Mercedes MP4/98T was the world's first tandem Formula One car. [2] The unique race car was designed by Gordon Murray to mirror the performance of then contemporary Grand Prix grid and allows a passenger, seated directly behind the driver, to experience the power and exhilaration of a Formula One car. Safety and comfort were fundamental to the design criteria, based on the forces experienced in a Formula One car.

Incorporating many of the F.I.A. driver/passenger safety regulations, the MP4/98T has increased side-impact absorption to safeguard the passenger. Each passenger was seat-fitted using techniques prevalent in Formula One. This specialist foam seating is fitted into the carbon fibre monocoque. A six-point F1 harness seat belt system further insures the safety of the passenger. A carbon fibre honeycomb composite structure, faced with 75 mm (3.0 in) of conforfoam padding separates the driver and passenger helmet area. Specified according to the F.I.A. impact absorption regulations, this conforfoam design is duplicated on the rear of the headrest structure to protect the passenger in the event of a frontal impact. Together with the head restraint they provide rearward and frontal impact absorption for the driver/passenger configuration. A passenger/driver alert button completes the safety elements.

Numerous celebrities have been passengers in the car, including: Max Mosley, Murray Walker, King Juan Carlos and Erja Hakkinen.