McLaren F1 GTR 'Longtail' privateer race car up for sale

The McLaren F1 was so far ahead of its time in terms of performance that it redefined the meaning of the term 'supercar'. But even during its production run, there was a faster variant, limited in production but now up for sale from a private collection in Japan.

Built for racing, the F1 GTR competed in the BPR Global GT Series, now known as the FIA GT Championship. The car ran for three years from 1995-1997, with 9 built the first two years and ten the final year. In 1997, the car weighed about 2,000lb (910kg) and generated a conservative 600hp (447kW) from its de-stroked 6.0L version of the F1's 60-degree V12.

The example on sale at Bingosports in Tokyo, Japan claims to be chassis #28R, the very last of the cars built. Chassis #28R was originally #27R, but was damaged and remade into a spare car that later raced at the tail end of the inaugural season of the FIA GT Championship. Little else is known about the car or the sale, aside from its Gulf Oil livery and its 'Longtail' longer rear wing section, a change in the aero for 1997 designed to get more grip over the rear wheels.

A standard road-going McLaren F1 recently went for $4 million at auction, and it's possible that this racing example could fetch even more. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the romantic racing history some might wish for.

To see the car in more detail, head on over to the Japanese sale site.