What are the McLaren XPs ????

[AkA FuSS]

Can anyone teach me ???

[Peloton25]

XP = Experimental Prototype

There were five built from late 1992 through early 1994 and each XP got progressively closer to full production spec though. The XPs were used for all of the final development work before production began. Through the process, the body changed slightly in the nose and tail area. They also used a few of the cars for final engine & transmission development work. The second car was used for crash testing. The fourth car was used primarily for final suspension work. The fifth car was used as the demonstration model and press car. It was also the F1 that was used at Ehra Leissen for the 240mph top speed run.

Sadly the first XP was destroyed in a fire after it's BMW engine delopment test driver allowed it to stray off course at about 170mph. It flipped several times and came to rest on it's roof. The driver was unhurt except for some bruising from the test equipment in the car and was able to climb out through the windshield. Oil that was leaking inside the engine compartment caught fire though, and destroyed the car.

>8^)
ER

[faisalkhan]

Nice detailed reply as usual, Peloton.

Wasn't XP1 based on an Ultima chassis? They called it Albert, I think.

Also, it wasn't oil that leaked out and ignited XP5, but the gasoline.

The same thing happened to Chris Dawes' car. That crash killed him and his two passengers. So far, they have been the only known fatalities in a McLaren crash. I know Chris Dawes' ex-partner really well, and he tells me that Chris did everything in great excess, whether it was womanizing or partying or driving!

Rgds,
Faisal.

[drewwtms]

Originally posted by faisalkhan
Nice detailed reply as usual, Peloton.

Wasn't XP1 based on an Ultima chassis? They called it Albert, I think.

According to Driving Ambition, "Albert" and "Edward" were used as drivetrain and electronics testing by McLaren Cars. They were not given XP status. They were based on Ultima kit cars. One used a V8; the other had one of the earliest V12 engines. Both were crushed with the photos and documents to prove it.

[Peloton25]

Drew is correct - XP1 was the first "Real" McLaren F1 - using most of the chassis and body components of the true production cars.

Albert and Edward were the Ultima-based cars and they predated even the Clinic Model as far as the overall timeline is concerned.

Albert had a large American V8 engine that was the only thing they could find at the time to simulate the power they expected from the BMW V12. Albert employed a swing-seat design that allowed the McLaren Cars developers to drive the car in a normal right-hand drive configuration, then once at the track and away from the spy cameras, they would swing the seat and driving controls to the center of the car. This allowed them to prove the concept of the center seat setup that was so critical to Gordon Murray's original design.

Edward was the second of the Ultima-based cars and the first car to actually use the BMW Motorsport S70/2 V12 engine and Weismann transmission. Edward did a lot of the drivability testing and development work. Due to the similar curb weight, Edward was also used for the initial suspension setup.

As Drew stated, both of the Ultima cars were crushed once their useful life was spent. The book does say that they were stripped of most of their valuable bits prior to meeting the crusher. I'll try to post pics of both later this evening.

= = = = =

Faisal-
So you know Chris Dawes ex-partner?? Maybe you can shed more light on the disposition of his car and the ownership of the car he was driving. The story as I have heard it says that he was not driving the McLaren F1 that belonged to him, but one that belonged to a business associate or family member. Would you know if that is true or simply internet/news story rumor? Also, can you confirm that the car he owned was #071 - the Historic Orange 1998 road car that is featured in the chapter of Driving Ambition that showcases the build process?? (That particular car has the mirrors on the A-Pillar like the Clinic Model did btw.)

If the car he was driving at the time of the crash wasn't really his, do you know what happened to his car? There is some speculation that it may have been seized in the wake of his legal difficulties and I'd be curious if anyone knows where it ended up. Despite his legal problems, I still consider it a shame he fell off the edge he was living on.

>8^)
ER

[faisalkhan]

Peloton,
I just called Chris Dawes' ex-partner...he doesn't have too much info on the McLaren, but he does know that it was Chris' car. What causes the confusion is that the house Chris was departing from is now owned by another individual who also has a McLaren!

Chris Dawes' legal difficulties stemmed from the discovery of a rather large quantity of drugs on his boat. That was siezed, but his car never was. I don't know what happened to his boat. I also don't know the details of Mr. Dawes' particular car ie. what number it was, etc.

As far as Chris Dawes is concerned, I am only sorry he killed two other people and destroyed such a beautiful and rare piece of engineering.

-f