Ueno Clinic Car.

[murraydeschot]

I'm sure that I could search the definitive answer, if only the AF server wasn't a regularily crashing nightmare ...

Where is the car currently located. From memory, talk was that it was retained in Japan, but other things I read suggested McLaren had regained it, but it never seems to appear in any photos at the McLaren Technology Centre.

[Peloton25]

McLaren still retain possession of the LeMans winning Ueno Clinic-sponsored GTR #01R and it is kept in a secure storage facility in England.

Reference this thread where they displayed it at ASI in 2007:

GTR 01R To be displayed at ASI ??

It was also displayed at the McLaren Technology Centre when the facility opened. There was a great photo of the three drivers - Lehto, Dalmas & Sekiya - reunited with the car that day. I'll host it later unless someone beats me to it.

I don't believe the car has ever been to Japan. The Brunei Royal Family did get McLaren to build them a replica of the car on chassis GTR #09R and that car is believed to still be in Brunei.

>8^)
ER

[murraydeschot]

Originally Posted by Peloton25

don't believe the car has ever been to Japan. The Brunei Royal Family did get McLaren to build them a replica of the car on chassis GTR #09R and that car is believed to still be in Brunei.

>8^)
ER

Erik, wasn't/isn't Ueno Clinic a Tokyo-based cosmetic surgery specialist? I was sure that it was in Japan for a wee while.

As for "it is kept in a secure storage facility in England" ... aside from the vaults of the Bank Of England ... or rather the Royal Mint in Llantrisant in Wales, is McLaren's facility not one of the most secure storage facilities in England? I can't understand why Mclaren, in possession of their creation of the 1995 Le Mans winner, wouldn't have it on permanent display.

[hurstg01]

perhaps it's having a 'freshen up'? Ueno is a Japan based company, and #01R had a Japanese rider because of that fact, but off the top of my head I can't recall it being in Japan

[Peloton25]

Originally Posted by murraydeschot

Erik, wasn't/isn't Ueno Clinic a Tokyo-based cosmetic surgery specialist?

Indeed it was - and be careful Google'ing the name as you might find some unexpected image results.

I was sure that it was in Japan for a wee while.

I don't believe the LeMans winning GTR ever went to Japan. It's possible that it did for some kind of promotional event, but I am not aware of that occurring. When it came back from LeMans it went to the Goodwood FOS the following weekend. Then it was seen at the same event a few years later, maybe 1999. Then the next time it appeared publicly that I am aware of was at the opening of the MTC.

What might be confusing you, and has tripped us up in the past, was that one of the '95 Gulf GTRs (#02R I believe) was re-liveried with an almost completely identical set of graphics for the '95 Suzuka BPR race. The main differences were the race number 1 on the doors, and the windshield banner read "BMW Japan". There are only a few pics of this in circulation and it slipped my mind earlier.

As for "it is kept in a secure storage facility in England" ... aside from the vaults of the Bank Of England ... or rather the Royal Mint in Llantrisant in Wales, is McLaren's facility not one of the most secure storage facilities in England? I can't understand why Mclaren, in possession of their creation of the 1995 Le Mans winner, wouldn't have it on permanent display.

I hear what you are saying and agree that it is a shame McLaren have chosen not to keep the car permanently displayed - I can't imagine their reasoning. There were some images taken of the car inside the facility where it is stored - it looked like a warehouse setting and it appears the car is kept covered. Perhaps they are attempting to preserve it a little better than if it were exposed all the time - I really don't know.

>8^)
ER