The First McLaren F1 in the U.S. Goes Up for Auction in August

This all-original F1 only shows 9,600 miles on the clock.

byChris Tsui|
The First McLaren F1 in the U.S. Goes Up for Auction in August
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Of the 64 road-going McLaren F1s to ever exist, only seven were ever shipped to the U.S. and federalized for American road regulations. The very first of those seven, Chassis 044, has been announced as heading to auction in August. Prepare your wallets, gentlemen.

Up for sale by Bonhams, McLaren F1 044 was actually the 37th car to roll off the assembly line in Woking. It wears the classic Base Silver paint job with a black 'n gray Connolly leather interior. According to Bonhams, the car has only ever had one owner, and has been meticulously maintained by BMW North America and McLaren throughout its 9,600-mile life. 

When it was being converted for American road-worthiness by Ameritech, they mindfully avoided any and all alterations that weren't reversible. The car is now being sold in its completely original form with the Ameritech conversion bits removed, but included on the side. Also included with the sale is the complete toolkit, a 90s-tastic modem that one would've used to connect to the factory (McLaren has since adopted email and Twitter, I've been told), the full F1 luggage set, a limited edition of Driving Ambition: The Complete Story of the McLaren F1 by Doug Nye, a dedicated detailing kit by Autoglym, mechanic's gloves, a detailing cloth, car cover, a watch, and all of the original owner's manuals, documents, and literature.

Powered by a 6.1-liter V12 from BMW, the 240-mph, Gordon Murray-developed F1 held the title of fastest production car for over a decade and is widely considered a legend among legends. America's first McLaren F1 will be put up for auction at Bonham's Quail Lodge Auction in Carmel on August 18th. If you're interested in owning this impeccably pristine piece of automotive engineering and history, expect to pony up quite a pretty penny.

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