McLaren F1 241mph record video

McLaren F1 prototype XP5 hits 240 mph

The last few weeks have been a bit of a McLaren F1 festival on Cars UK. But then it is 20 years since the team that created the McLaren F1 was first brought together, as yesterday’s F1 photos and info from McLaren were keen to tell us.

All that needs to be written about the McLaren F1 already has been, but one thing we haven’t really covered in any detail before is the F1′s top speed record of 240.1mph, which stood as the world record top speed for a production car until the Bugatti Veyron stole that crown.

The difference is, of course, that the McLaren F1 needed no forced induction to achieve the top speed – just Gordon Murray’s perfect design and a compact size. Oh, and a thumping great BMW V12 custom designed just for the F1.

McLaren F1 Photo Gallery

The Mclaren F1 which took the 240.1 mph run was actually XP5, the last of the F1 prototypes which was already five years old when the run took place on 31st March 1998. XP5 was driven by Andy Wallace at the Ehra-Lessien proving ground in Germany and – despite already having 45,000 miles of testing under its belt -he beat 240mph, which still stands as a world record for a naturally aspirated production car.

And if you’re ever out and about at motor shows you may be fortunate enough to see XP5. It is now a proper road legal car, still owned by McLaren (it will never be sold) and carries the number plate K8 MCL.

The video quality isn’t the greatest – but then it is 12 years ago.

By Cars UK