Did you know only 106 examples of the McLaren F1 were ever produced? Thanks to the car's rarity, and its ability to crush modern supercars even 20 years after it's debut, its value has skyrocketed in recent years.
Last year one sold for $8.47 million at a Pebble Beach, and a few months ago another one built for Michael Andretti went for $10.5 million. This F1 could top them both.
Up for grabs at the upcoming Pebble Beach concours is the world's one and only Marlboro White McLaren F1. There are other white F1s, but this is the sole car painted that shade of white. It's chassis number 031 and has just over 1,000 miles on the odometer.
The people at Gooding & Co. estimate it could sell for somewhere between $12 million and $14 million at the auction next month, which would be a new record for the most expensive McLaren ever sold. Top Gear has some of the car's backstory:
But then the original owner had no need to run it too much and dirty the 'Marlboro White' paintwork (remember Marlboro used to sponsor the F1 team? That's cool). Japanese collector Shin Okamoto bought the car new in 1995 and specced it so, driving it very sparingly during his 15-year tenure, because he also had a Ferrari F40, F50, 288 GTO, 333 SP and F50 GT in his stable. Because Ferrari. Okamoto sent his McLaren - chassis number 031 - to Woking in 2008 for a full service and inspection, before selling it onto a collector in the States in 2010, who in turn sold it onto the current owner, a McLaren 'enthusiast'.
I wish I could afford to be a "McLaren enthusiast." That sounds fun.
Opt for this Marlboro White F1 and you get the car, equipped with black leather and Alcantara seats, as well as an owner's manual, service and warranty book, tool set and other goodies.
I'm generally not a fan of white cars, but the color looks great on some exotics and the F1 is no exception. Let's hope this stunner goes to a good home.