The Beatification Of The McLaren F1

[murraydeschot]

Car Magazine’s August 2006 issue (UK) is dedicated to the celebration of 40 years of supercars. From the shapely and eye-lashed Lamborghini Muira of the all-so-swinging-60’s through Ferrari’s stripped-down ‘Best budget supercar” – Quote: Larry Kinch (Devoted petrol head and erstwhile custodian of the 1995 Jacadi (#07R) F1GTR) - raw-edged racer, the F40, and onto the eye/mouth-watering, trouser-dampening abilities of Volkswagen’s … oops! … Bugatti’s beefed-up behemoth, the Veyron 16.4.

However, upon reading the edition thoroughly (read ‘repeatedly’!), one car seems, above all, to be garnered with all-round praise as the most ‘complete’ supercar ever devised … none other than the F1.

In the issue, Nick Mason’s F1GTR is evaluated next to an F40. F1 cognoscente venture opinions on the Veyron. – Rowan Atkinson “… it’s infinitely less practical than the McLaren F1 – I like using my cars and there’s no room in the Veyron”; Nick Mason “Will I buy one? I don’t know, I haven’t driven it yet ….”. And, to top-it-all, an exclusive interview with Gordon Murray, where he comments, “I can’t think of anything I’d change about the McLaren F1. We got it right, down to the last bolt and washer.” Perversely, he also, almost apologetically, admits “… the F1’s steering is good but it’s not the F40. The F40 is magic.”

As an ‘interesting’ aside, the interview also mentions Murray’s involvement, since leaving McLaren in 2004, on two major projects. One being “a new supercar that will match the F1’s focus on weight, size, practicality and driver focus.”

I can only assume that this alludes to the Caparo T1 - Murray has been appointed a member of Caparo Cars International Limited board. However, in a slightly paradoxical statement, printed in the T1 sales brochure, Murray is quoted in April 2006 as having said, “This [Caparo T1] is the first time that Formula One materials, technology and design have been used to create a performance envelope of this magnitude.”

Errrrrrrrrrr, Mr Murray … what about YOUR superlative

McLaren F1?!

[zx4000]

Originally Posted by murraydeschot

As an ‘interesting’ aside, the interview also mentions Murray’s involvement, since leaving McLaren in 2004, on two major projects. One being “a new supercar that will match the F1’s focus on weight, size, practicality and driver focus.”

I can only assume that this alludes to the Caparo T1 - Murray has been appointed a member of Caparo Cars International Limited board. However, in a slightly paradoxical statement, printed in the T1 sales brochure, Murray is quoted in April 2006 as having said, “This [Caparo T1] is the first time that Formula One materials, technology and design have been used to create a performance envelope of this magnitude.”

Errrrrrrrrrr, Mr Murray … what about YOUR superlative

McLaren F1?!

obviously he step down in early 2005 ?

[murraydeschot]

Originally Posted by zx4000

obviously he step down in early 2005 ?

Please accept my heartfelt apologies for the gross inaccuracy in my post.

To be perfectly honest, rather than contacting Gordon Murray for a up-to-date copy of his Curriculum Vitae prior to posting what I thought would be an enlightening thread for the F1 devotees here re: the Car magazine features and Gordon Murray’s tie-up with Caparo, I took what the respected Car journalist, Ben Oliver mentioned in his exclusive interview as being factual.

Another case of don’t believe everything that you read.

[zx4000]

You dont have to apologize. I just appreciate all new stuff if it is for F1, thank you murrayshot

[Mr. Bernoulli]

T1's got a bigger envelope.