"JR1" (type35bugatti)
07/13/2015 at 08:17 • Filed to: Mclaren F1
2
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"JR1" (type35bugatti)
07/13/2015 at 08:17 • Filed to: Mclaren F1 | 2
| 28 |
Is there a car that is more universally loved and respected than the Mclaren F1?
LongbowMkII
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:22 |
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no. at least there shouldn’t be.
is this an off road prototype?
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JR1
> LongbowMkII
07/13/2015 at 08:24 |
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I believe the XP5 was a prototype and it got the most use and abuse. I think it currently has over 100,000 miles on it
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LongbowMkII
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:28 |
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ah I see that it’s mid-jump and the suspension is at full droop. I think the jumping is evidence of it’s abuse.
Who is jumping a McLarenF1?!?
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JR1
> LongbowMkII
07/13/2015 at 08:30 |
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It might have been the car that set the top speed record too
thebigbossyboss
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:34 |
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Ferrari F40. No contest.
jjhats
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:39 |
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I genuinely would say no. it has everything people whine about these days. carbon body super lightweight like Miata light. manual gearbox manual steering. center seating to put an end to rhd vs lhd. bmw v12 no turbo lag. it is a masterpiece as far as im concerned. short of it having popups its jalops perfect car easily
McMike
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:39 |
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Ferrari F40 is in the same HNNNNNGGGGGGGG catagory.
davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:41 |
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Nope.
MultiplaOrgasms
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:41 |
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Lincoln Versailles?
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 08:42 |
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> thebigbossyboss
07/13/2015 at 08:46 |
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No. I understand where you’re coming from, but no.
And here’s why - the F1 was designed as the ultimate road car, the F40 was born out of homologation requirements for Group B racing, a series which was disbanded before a single car could race. The F1 is a grand tourer with racecar pedigree, the F40 is a race car disguised as a road car. The F40 is an amazing car, don’t get me wrong, but I think it’s racer-on-the-road mentality really curbs it’s appeal to many people.
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thebigbossyboss
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2015 at 08:55 |
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Normal people maybe. But for car people, the F40 is probably the best car ever made. Even clarkson said so.
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> thebigbossyboss
07/13/2015 at 09:06 |
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Oh, well I didn’t know Clarkson said so. It must be gospel.
I still think the F1 is still a better car, and I suspect that many “car” people would agree with me. I get that a lot of car people pine for the “analog” experience that the F40 promises and I’m sure it doesn’t disappoint. But the F1 is equally as analog (manual steering rack, manual gearbox, etc.) and not only is it a fabulous GT car, it also trumps the F40 in every performance metric. So if you have a car that is just as “analog”, faster and better performing in every metric, has a better racing pedigree, and yet is still luxurious enough to drive every day or take on road trips, how is it a worse car?
I will concede this, however - if I was given a choice between the two for an afternoon, probably even a weekend, I’d take an F40. But if I was given the choice between the two for the rest of my life, I’d take the F1.
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thebigbossyboss
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2015 at 09:13 |
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I will concede DD’ing an F40 is about as practical as DD’ing a sailboat. It’s definitely not meant for that. I didn’t realize the F1 was so analog.
I think I still like the F40 better, I am a shameless F40 fan boy over here what can I say really.
MAXIMUMVRM
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 09:40 |
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I believe that picture is from the Car and Driver review. I remember in the article it said “this car was built to land” or something along those lines. All the love ever since
AMGtech - now with more recalls!
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 10:18 |
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Dacia Sandero. End of discussion.
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> thebigbossyboss
07/13/2015 at 10:27 |
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I’m a huge Ferrari fanboy myself, I love the F40 as well, and definitely wasn’t trying to take anything away from it.
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 10:35 |
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Read “Driving Ambition” if you ever get the chance. It’s a stupid expensive book but goes into great detail about the development of the F1. It’s endlessly fascinating the amount of thought that was given to every detail of that car. I think it also cements Gordon Murray as one of the all time greatest car designers.
After having read that book, I think the F1 is the greatest car ever made in the history of mankind, bar none. It was peerless in it’s own time, and honestly I don’t know if we’ll ever see another car like it, for a number of reasons. What I think sets it apart is that it was designed to be the best. Not the fastest, not the best handling, nor designed to cater to any other metric you can think of, it was simply designed to be the best. The fact that it was the fastest, and quickest, road car for many years, and went on to dominate in racing is a mere byproduct of the execution of the vision for that car. Everyone these days is chasing a look and a number, be it top speed, horsepower, etc. But the singular focus of all subsequent supercars after the F1 is to their detriment.
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thebigbossyboss
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2015 at 10:36 |
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No no I get that. Don’t worry. One day I saw an F40 in the wild. It was 10pm on a Wednesday. I was the only person on the street and somehow this thing appeared.
It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.
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JR1
> thebigbossyboss
07/13/2015 at 11:12 |
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The F40 never won outright at Le Mans. The F1 did.
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JR1
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2015 at 11:15 |
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I have not followed Gordon Murray’s career but besides the F1 isn’t he kinda a one hit wonder?
I will look into the book
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JR1
> SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
07/13/2015 at 11:16 |
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Ew (puts on flame suit)
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> thebigbossyboss
07/13/2015 at 11:41 |
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That’s awesome. I’m a bit spoiled, there’s one that comes to our local Cars n Coffee (Great Falls, VA) pretty regularly.
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thebigbossyboss
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2015 at 11:46 |
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That is the coolest.
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 11:49 |
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Well , his racing career speaks for itself. But I think you’re somewhat right in that his road car record is spotty, aside from the shining point that is the F1. After the F1 ended production, he worked on the Mercedes-McLaren SLR which seems to be relegated to the footnotes of supercar history. He worked on the AC Ace, a spiritual successor to the Shelby/AC Cobras of yore, but I think that fizzled out. He’s also supposedly collaborating with TVR for new products to debut in 2017 and following, so that could be interesting.
However, having done a supercar, he’s turned his attention to lighter and more practical transportation. He designed and developed the Rocket, a two seat motorcycle powered track car, which got produced in limited numbers by Light Car Company. He’s also been doing a lot of work with Zytek on the T25 and T27 city cars, which will compete with the Smart FourTwo. Supposedly these will be going into production in next year, but who knows.
RallyWrench
> JR1
07/13/2015 at 12:39 |
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Everybody has a Beetle story.
Nauraushaun
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/13/2015 at 22:56 |
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I agree with you. The F40 is a light, fast, compromised, almost-race car. Anyone can do that. Everyone has done it. The F1 made advancements in other areas, the way it balanced the fast with the feel and on-road usability is the point of the car.
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> Nauraushaun
07/14/2015 at 08:36 |
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Yeah, I think the F40 is an amazing car, but it really is a racer-for-the-road. But the F1 is the total package, it really pushed the envelope.