McLaren F1 LM

The McLaren F1 LM is considered as the most extreme version of the exclusive and amazing McLaren F1. The LM version improves on most aspects of the already amazing McLaren F1. The McLaren F1 LM is one of the most exclusive, amazing, fastest, unique and technologically advanced cars of all time. It is considered by many as the ultimate super car of all time!

Style
All of the five F1 LM's had the same body, engine etc

Engine and Transmission
The LM has a BMW V12 Naturally aspirated engine which outputs 680hp @ 7,800 rpm

The car has a 6 speed gearbox and a limited slip differential (LSD)

Performance
This car is most definitely a supercar, it has a huge top speed of 225mph, the normal F1 can do 240mph but it doesn't have some of the downforce features that the LM has, e.g. the LM has a huge Carbon Fibre rear spoiler to aid downforce whereas the normal F1 doesn't! This is still a major achievement. Thanks to the extra downforce the LM version has it is considered to be faster than the standard F1 on tracks, also the LM version is faster accelerating than the standard F1, the LM has a 0-60mph time of 2.9 seconds! In 1999 the LM version broke the world record for 0-100-0mph, this was a major achievement for McLaren and showed that the F1 was the worlds greatest supercar and that the LM version that set the time was even better!

Colors
All the McLaren F1 LM's were painted Papaya Orange in memory of the McLaren founder Bruce McLaren, his Can-Am cars of the sixties were painted this colour, apparently because Bruce thought that colour looked best on the black and white TV's of that era!

Two of the cars however, are not painted in Papaya Orange. They are black, with coloured graphics down the side. These reside, and were ordered by, the Sultan of Brunei, who also has one of the standard Papaya LMs (3 LMs of the produced 6), 1 of the 3 LongTail GTs, and (originally) 5 standard F1 road cars in addition to this.

The prototype is painted Papaya Orange and resides with McLaren Automotive.

Main Competitors
The main competitors are actually more modern such as the Bugatti Veyron, the Veyron is considered as the main competitor despite the fact that it came nearly ten years later!!!

Known Owners

 * The Sultan of Brunei owns three McLaren F1 LM's, two of which are painted black (even though it says on some websites that all F1 LM's were painted papaya orange!)
 * Ralph Lauren owns a F1 LM in Papaya Orange
 * The owner of the ZAZ museum in Japan has owned one, it is not clear whether he still does or not.
 * The Prototype (which is also painted Papaya Orange) will be given to Lewis Hamilton by McLaren if he wins the 2008 Grand Prix. It is rumoured to be worth $4,000,000, it has been kept by McLaren since it was made.

Unique Attributes
One of the most unique aspects of the McLaren F1 LM is its three seat layout, in which the driver sits in the centre slightly further forward than the seats either side of him.

Also the engine bay is lined with gold foil! this is because the gold foil is a good insulator!

Interior
As mentioned earlier the car has a three seat layout, The driver sits in the middle with a seat either side positioned slightly further back