Just over two years ago, McLaren issued a fabulous video of what was — and still is — one of the most incredibly limited vehicles to ever sport their name. And, it was based in New Zealand.
But, it looks like that won't be the case for long.
McLaren F1s of course are inherently rare things. They exploded onto the motoring scene in the early '90s produced in limited numbers, and having claimed all sorts of gongs as the fastest car ever made at the time. Perhaps more importantly, they had a huge impact on the industry at a ground level. Journalists, race drivers, engineers, and anyone lucky enough to buy one would very quickly make it known that there was nothing on the planet quite like the centre-drive hypercar.
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This example, owned by race driver and entrepreneur Andrew Bagnall, is among 'the rarest of the rare'.Chassis No. 018 is one of just two McLaren F1s in the world that was equipped with the manufacturer's 'High Downforce Kit' in period. Along with the aerodynamic additions (namely that front splitter and rear wing), the 'HDF' set-up also included the power-plant from the LM-spec McLaren F1.
Ordinarily a McLaren F1 is meant to make 461kW of power and 617Nm of torque from the factory, via that storied BMW-sourced 6.1-litre V12 engine. However, with the LM-spec heart chained under the rear hatch, the 'HDF' F1 makes 507kW. Adding to its ferociousness is an extra 1000rpm in the rev range, with red-line shifted from 7500rpm to 8500rpm.
"The HDF kit makes a difference to the way the car handles," said Bagnall in 2017. "You really notice the extra downforce when you're driving at speed on a circuit. The modifications have turned it from a comfortable, easy road-going car to a very taut quasi-racing machine for the road. It changes gear with a snap like no other car on the planet."
But, the incredibly low-numbers McLaren looks to be up for sale. According to a social media post from Edward Lovett of Collecting Cars fame, the Kiwi F1 is headed to next month's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance event in Monterrey, California. There, it'll go up for sale with auction house RM Sothebys.
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A standard, well maintained and low kilometres McLaren F1 is worth in the ballpark of $20m. Rowan Atkinson sold his (formerly crashed) example for £8m in 2015. One of the last to sell was chassis No. 044, which sold at Bonhams' 2017 Quail Lodge auction for US$15.6m.
A handful of others have come up for sale in the time since, including one with just 3500km on the clock at a price of €20m. But the Quail Lodge example remains the claimed world record holder for McLaren F1 sales prices.
Given the increased rarity and global recognition for Bagnall's McLaren, who knows what it will possibly sell for. We'll be keeping our feelers out for when an expected auction price is confirmed by RM Sothebys. Regardless, in the time that it spent on our shores, the 'HDF' McLaren F1 is likely to be New Zealand's most expensive car — a title it can perhaps formally claim in the unlikely chance that it returns from Pebble Beach.