Ford Sierra RS Cosworth

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.
The project was defined by Stuart Turner in the spring of 1983. He had then recently been appointed head of Ford Motorsport in Europe, and he realized right away that Ford was no longer competitive in this area.
Turner got in touch with Walter Hayes, at the time Vice President of Public Relations at Ford, to get support for the project. Hayes had earlier been the driving force behind the development of the Ford GT40 that won Le Mans in 1966, and the Cosworth DFV engine that brought Ford 154 victories and 12 World Championships in Formula One during the Sixties and Seventies. Hayes found the project very appealing and promised his full support.
Turner then invited Ken Kohrs, Vice President of Development, to visit Ford’s longtime partner, the automotive company Cosworth, where they were presented a project developed on Cosworth’s own initiative, the YAA engine. This was twin cam, 16-valve engine based on Ford’s own T88 engine block, better known as the Pinto. This prototype proved an almost ideal basis for the engine Turner needed to power his Group A winner.
Therefore, an official request for a turbocharged version (designated Cosworth YBB) capable of 180 HP on the street and 300 HP in race trim, was placed. Cosworth answered positively, but they put up two conditions: the engine would produce not less than 150 kW (204 HP) in the street version, and Ford had to accept no less than 15,000 engines. Turner’s project would only need about 5,000 engines, but Ford nevertheless accepted the conditions. The extra 10,000 engines would later become one of the reasons Ford also chose to develop a four door, second generation Sierra RS Cosworth.
To find a suitable gear box proved more challenging. The Borg-Warner T5, also used in the Ford Mustang, was chosen, but the higher revving nature of the Sierra caused some problems. Eventually Borg-Warner had to set up a dedicated production line for the gear boxes to be used in the Sierra RS Cosworth.
Many of the suspension differences between the standard Sierra and the Cosworth attributed their development to what was learned from racing the turbocharged Jack Roush IMSA Merkur XR4Ti in America and Andy Rouse's successful campaign of the 1985 British Saloon Car Championship. Much of Ford's external documentation for customer race preparation indicated "developed for the XR4Ti" when describing parts that were Sierra Cosworth specific. Roush's suspension and aerodynamics engineering for the IMSA cars was excellent feedback for Ford. Some production parts from the XR4Ti made their way into the Cosworth such as the speedometer with integral boost gauge and the motorsport 909 chassis stiffening plates.

In April 1983, Turner’s team decided on the Sierra as a basis for their project. The Sierra filled the requirements for rear wheel drive and decent aerodynamic drag. A racing version could also help to improve the unfortunate, and somewhat undeserved, reputation that Sierra had earned since the introduction in 1982.
Lothar Pinske, responsible for the car’s bodywork, demanded carte blanche when it came to appearance in order to make the car stable at high speed. Experience had shown that the Sierra hatchback body generated significant aerodynamic lift even at relatively moderate speed.
After extensive wind tunnel testing and test runs at the Nardò circuit in Italy, a prototype was presented to the project management. This was based on an XR4i body with provisional body modifications in fibreglass and aluminium. The car’s appearance raised little enthusiasm. The large rear wing caused particular reluctance. Pinske insisted however that the modifications were necessary to make the project successful. The rear wing was essential to retain ground contact at 300 km/h, the opening between the headlights was needed to feed air to the intercooler and the wheel arch extensions had to be there to house wheels 10” wide on the racing version. Eventually, the Ford designers agreed to try and make a production version based on the prototype.
In 1984 Walter Hayes paid visits to many European Ford dealers in order to survey the sales potential for the Sierra RS Cosworth. A requirement for participation in Group A was that 5,000 cars were built and sold. The feedback was depressing. The dealers estimated they could sell approximately 1,500 cars.
Hayes didn’t give up however, and continued his passionate internal marketing of the project. As prototypes started to emerge, dealers were invited to test drive sessions, and this increased the enthusiasm for the new car. In addition, Ford took some radical measures to reduce the price on the car. As an example, the car was only offered in three exterior colours (black, white and moonstone blue) and one interior colour (grey). There were also just two equipment options: with or without central locking and electric window lifts.

Production

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was first presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1985, with plans to release it for sale in September and closing production of the 5,000 cars in the summer of 1986.
In practice, it was launched in July 1986 and 5545 were manufactured in total of which 500 were sent to Tickford for conversion to the Sierra 3 door RS500 Cosworth. The vehicle was manufactured in both RHD (Right Hand Drive) for the UK market, and LHD (Left Hand Drive) for Europe. The following number of vehicles were registered in the UK:

1985	10
1986	1064
1987	579
Total	Mike Moreton was head of the team that planned to develop an evolution edition aimed at making the car unbeatable on the race tracks. In March 1987, Aston Martin in Tickford was signed for the job of converting the 500 cars. The Cosworth RS500 was announced in July 1987 and was homologated in August 1987. The main difference to the Sierra 3 door Cosworth was the uprated Cosworth competition engine. Its new features were [2]: The engine had a thicker walled cylinder block to cope with the rigours of the track. A larger Garrett T31/T04 turbocharger. A larger air-air intercooler. A second set of 4 fuel injectors and a second fuel rail (unused in the roadgoing version). The fuel pump was uprated. A reworked induction system to allow higher power outputs to be realised. The oil and cooling system were both also uprated. The rear semi-trailing arm beam had extended but unused mounting points. The RS500 also had minor external cosmetic differences to its parent the Sierra 3 door Cosworth: The rear tail gate had a lower spoiler in addition to the upper whale tail, which had an added lip. Discrete RS500 badges on the rear tail gate and front wings. A redesigned front bumper and spoiler to aid cooling and air flow, including the removal of the fog lamps and their replacement with intake grilles to supplement brake cooling Exactly 500 RS500s were produced, all of them RHD for sale in the UK only - the biggest market for this kind of Ford car. It was originally intended that all 500 would be black, but in practice 56 white and 52 Moonstone Blue cars were produced .[1]  Motorsport achievements The car also fulfilled Ford's expectations on the race track. The 1987 World Touring Car Championship came like a gift to Ford. Competent BMW drivers, some trouble with gear boxes, amongst other things, and only 340 HP in the first Sierra RS Cosworth prevented Ford from dominating the first half of the season. In August 1987 the Sierra RS500 Cosworth was homologated. Fords took pole position in all the remaining six events, and was first over the finishing line in five of them. Disqualification from the 1987 James Hardie 1000 for wheel arch panel irregularities though was a bitter pill for the Fords, depriving Steve Soper and Pierre Dieudonné of the World Championship and handing it to BMW driver Roberto Ravaglia. The Eggenberger Motorsport team did however claim the entrants prize.[3] The Sierra Cosworth was also pressed into service as a rally car, and saw some success. After the abolition of the Group B formula in the World Rally Championship at the end of 1986, manufacturers had to turn to Group A cars and Ford, like most others, found itself without a fully suitable car. The Cosworth was very powerful but, with only rear-wheel-drive, lost out to the four-wheel-drive Lancias and Mazdas on loose-surface events, whilst the four-wheel-drive XR4x4 had an excellent chassis but an elderly engine producing only around 200bhp, at least 100 less than the Lancia. For the 1987 season the team ran both, using the XR4x4 on loose surfaces and the Cosworth on tarmac, but the XR4x4's power disadvantage was too great and from 1988 the team concentrated on the Cosworth alone, and continued to use it until the arrival of the Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 in 1990. The rear-drive car never won a loose-surface World Rally Championship event, but in the hands of drivers such as Stig Blomqvist, Carlos Sainz and Ari Vatanen it frequently finished in the top five, except when conditions were particularly slippery. On tarmac it was a much more serious competitor, and a young Didier Auriol won the 1988 Corsica Rally outright, the only time that season that Lancia were beaten in a straight fight. However, as Lancia developed the Delta further and new cars such as the Toyota Celica GT4 appeared, the Cosworth became steadily less competitive. Thanks to strong support and readily available parts from Ford Motorsport, the Cosworth was a popular car with private teams. Moreover, below World Championship level four-wheel-drive opposition was limited at the time, and the Cosworth was as fast as any of its two-wheel-drive rivals. It lacked the fine handling of the BMW M3, for example, but on the other hand it was much more powerful. It was also very reliable. Consequently it became a very popular car at national championship level, and during the late 1980s Sierra drivers won many national series. Jimmy McRae took the British Rally Championship in a Sierra in 1987 and 1988, whilst Carlos Sainz won the Spanish Championship in the same years, to name but two. The Cosworth was popular with spectators because it was visually dramatic, with its flame-spitting exhaust and tail-sliding, rear-drive handling; and it was popular with amateur drivers because it was competitive, robust and relatively cheap. To this day it is a fairly common sight on lower-level events. This section requires expansion. 2wd Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth The second generation 4 door Sierra Sapphire Cosworth was assembled in Genk, Belgium, with the UK-built Ford-Cosworth YBB engine. Cylinder heads on this car were early spec 2wd heads and also the "later" 2wd head which had some improvements which made their way to the 4X4 head. Suspension was essentially the same with some minor changes in geometry to suit a less aggressive driving style and favour ride over handling. Spindles, wheel offset and other changes were responsible for this effect. Approximately 13,140 examples were produced during 1988-1989 and were the most numerous and lightest of all Sierra Cosworth models. Specifically the LHD models which saved weight with a lesser trim level such as roll up rear windows, no air conditioning etc. In the UK, the RHD 1988-1989 Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth is badged as such with a small "Sapphire" badge on the rear door window trims. All 1988-1989 LHD models are badged and registered as a Sierra RS Cosworth with no Sapphire nomenclature at all. "Sapphire" being viewed as a Ghia trim level that saw power rear windows, air conditioning and other minor options. Enthusiasts of the marque are mindful of this and will describe the LHD cars by their body shell configuration, 3 door or 4 door. Example: 4 door Sierra RS Cosworth.

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is an off-road/performance pickup truck manufactured by the Ford Motor Company.

Background

The Raptor is a modified F-150 truck intended for high speed off road use, available in extended cab or crew cab models only.^[1] Inspired by the prerunners used by high-dollar off road teams, it brings a variety of off road features. Developed by the Special Vehicle Team (SVT) at Ford, the Raptor was used as a test bed for further engineering validation for the new 6.2-liter (379 cu in) V8. The truck itself ran in 2008 Baja 1000 where it finished third in class. With 5300 confirmed orders, first year Raptor sales have exceeded 1999's Lightning production numbers. The Raptor began hitting showrooms in late 2009. Sales were much better than expected. April 2011, Ford sold 1,186 Raptors, outselling Honda's Ridgeline.^[2]

Engine

Engine choices have included the 5.4L V8 with 320 horsepower (235 kW) and 390 ft·lbf (528 N·m) of torque or the 6.2L V8 with 411 horsepower (306 kW) and 434 ft·lbf (588 N·m) of torque. In 2011, the 5.4 was discontinued and replaced with the 6.2 as standard engine.^[3][4][5] The 6.2L V8 Engine gives the Raptor the lowest towing capacity and fuel economy in the entire model range.^[6]

Gas Mileage

The Ford Raptor's fuel economy is rated at 11 miles per US gallon (21 L/100 km) city and 14 miles per US gallon (17 L/100 km) highway.^{[citation needed]}

Body, Frame, and Features

From the A-pillar forward, the Raptor has a composite hood and fenders different from other F-150s and is bereft of the blue oval badge in the grille. SVT widened the track by 7 inches, and so its 5.5-foot box is unique to the Raptor as well.^[7] The Raptor's height is 2 inches over a standard Supercrew. It also features new, internal bypass shocks, designed by Fox Racing Shox.
The Raptor has new leaf springs and shocks, new front upper- and lower-A-arms, and a wider, thicker-walled rear axle. It's the first Ford with hill-descent control and comes with an electronic differential locker that lets the driver keep it locked at high speeds when the Raptor's Off Road Mode is engaged. Off Road Mode is a feature unique to the Raptor which allows more controlled, aggressive driving while in situations where increased traction and braking are necessary. The Raptor's Off Road Mode allows ABS, roll stability control and traction control to be completely turned off giving the driver total control over the driving experience. Off Road Mode also changes the Raptor's throttle sensitivity and transmission shift points causing a more linear power curve for low traction situations.
Towing capacity is up to 8,000 pounds with a 1,770-pound payload (Super Crew only).^[8] Interior changes include high-bolster seats, a special steering wheel, a redesigned center console and auxiliary switches connected to pre-wired pass though leads allowing ease of aftermarket product installation. Ford originally promised a value price and a multi-year run—final pricing came in at $42,000.00 for 2010.

2011 Frame Problems

In June 2011, a group of 14 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor owners took an off-roading trip. 10 of these 14 owners came back from this trip with bent frames. There was no other damage to the trucks, showing that it maybe has a design flaw. ^[9]A Ford engineer from SVT stated the trucks were driven too fast and may have even had the Speed limiter removed.

Mazda RX-7-third generation

The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car by the Japanese automaker Mazda. It was produced from 1978 to 2002. The original RX-7 featured a 1146 cc twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine and a sporty front-midship, rear-wheel drive layout. The RX-7 was a direct replacement for the RX-3 (both were sold in Japan as the Savanna) and subsequently replaced all other Mazda rotary cars with the exception of the Cosmo.
The original RX-7 was a sports car. The compact and lightweight Wankel engine (rotary engine) is situated slightly behind the front axle, a configuration marketed by Mazda as "front mid-engine". It was offered as a two-seat coupé, with optional "occasional" rear seats in Japan, Australia, the United States, and other parts of the world. These rear seats were initially marketed as a dealer-installed option for the North American markets.
The RX-7 made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list five times. In total, 811,634 RX-7s were produced.

Third generation (FD):

The third generation of the RX-7, FD (with FD3S for the JDM and JM1FD for the USA VIN), featured an updated body design. The 13B-REW was the first-ever mass-produced sequential twin-turbocharger system to export from Japan, boosting power to 255 PS (188 kW; 252 hp) in 1993 and finally 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp) by the time production ended in Japan in 2002.

Dom's Mazda from Fast&Furious 1

• Series 6 (1992–1995) was exported throughout the world and had the highest sales. In Japan, Mazda sold the RX-7 through its Efini brand as the Efini RX-7. Models in Japan included the Type R, the top-of-the-range Type RZ, the Type RB, the A-spec and the Touring X, which only came with a 4-speed automatic reducing power to 255 PS (188 kW; 252 hp), but the others ran on the standard 265 PS (195 kW; 261 hp) engine with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Only the 1993–1995 model years were sold in the U.S. and Canada. Series 6 came with 255 PS (188 kW; 252 hp) and 294 N·m (217 ft·lbf). In the UK only 124 examples of this model were sold through the official Mazda network, Only one spec. was available and this included twin oil-coolers, electric sunroof, cruise control and the rear storage bins in place of the back seats.

• In North America, three models were offered; the "base", the touring, and the R models. The touring FD had a sunroof, leather seats, and a complex Bose Acoustic Wave system. The R (R1 in 1993 and R2 in 1994–95) models featured stiffer suspensions, an aerodynamics package, suede seats, and Z-rated tires.

• There is also a "Touring Model" which includes a sun roof, and Bose stereo system. Compared to the R1 and R2 which both don't have a moon roof, and they have an extra front oil cooler in the front bumper, and other race modification equipment.
• Series 7 (1996–1998) included minor changes to the car. Updates included a simplified vacuum routing manifold and a 16-bit ECU allowing for increased boost which netted an extra 10 PS (7 kW). In Japan, the Series 7 RX-7 was marketed under the Mazda brand name. The Series 7 was also sold in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Series 7 RX-7s were produced only in right-hand-drive configuration.
• Series 8 (January 1999– August 2002) was the final series, and was only available in the Japanese market. More efficient turbochargers were installed, while improved intercooling and radiator cooling was made possible by a revised frontal area. The seats, steering wheel, and front and rear lights were all changed. The rear spoiler was modified and gained adjustability. The top-of-the-line "Type RS" came equipped with a Bilstein suspension and 17" wheels as standard equipment, and reduced weight to 1,280 kg (2,822 lb). Power was 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp) with 313.8 N·m (231 ft·lbf) of torque as per the maximum Japanese limit. The very limited edition Type RZ version included all the features of the Type RS, but at a lighter weight (at 1270 kg). It also featured custom gun-metal colored BBS wheels and a custom red racing themed interior. Further upgrades included a new 16-bit ECU and ABS system upgrades. The improved ABS system worked by braking differently on each wheel, allowing the car better turning during braking. The effective result made for safer driving for the average buyer. Easily the most collectible of all the RX-7s was the last 1,500 run-out specials. Dubbed the "Spirit R", they combined all the "extra" features Mazda had used on previous limited-run specials plus new exclusive features. They still command amazing prices on the Japanese used car scene years later. Sticker prices when new were 3,998,000 yen for Type-A and B and 3,398,000 yen for Type-C. Mazda's press release said "The Type-A Spirit R model is the ultimate RX-7, boasting the most outstanding driving performance in its history."

- There are three kinds of "Spirit R": the "Type A", "Type B", and "Type C". The "Type A" has a 5-speed manual transmission, and is said to have the best performance of the three models. The "Type B" has a 2+2 seat configuration and also sports a 5-speed manual transmission. The "Type C" is also a 2+2, but has a 4-speed automatic transmission. Clarification of the build number breakdown for each type is sought as Mazda hasn't publicly published the production figures.Racing versions of the first-generation RX-7 were entered at the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race. The first outing for the car, equipped with a 13B engine, failed by less than one second to qualify in 1979. The next year, a 12A-engine car not only qualified, it placed 21st overall. That same car did not finish in 1981, along with two more 13B cars. Those two cars were back for 1982, with one 14th place finish and another DNF. The RX-7 Le Mans effort was replaced by the 717C prototype for 1983. In 1991, Mazda became the first Japanese manufacturer to win the 24 hours of Le Mans. The car was a 4-rotor prototype, the 787B. The FIA outlawed rotary engines shortly after this win. To this day the rotary powered Mazda is the only Japanese manufacturer to have ever won the prestigious 24 hour Le Mans race outright.

 

McLaren F1

Today we continue our path in the top 100 most beautiful cars ever with the McLaren F1.The F1 is an important car that made its mark thru history by its performance but not last by its good looks.
Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car. On 31 March 1998, it set the record for the fastest road car in the world, topping at 231 mph (372 km/h) with rev limiter on, and 243 mph (391 km/h) with rev limiter removed.
The car features numerous proprietary designs and technologies; it was designed and built with no compromises to the original design concept laid out by Gordon Murray. It is lighter and has a more streamlined structure than even most of its modern rivals and competitors despite having one seat more than most similar sports cars, with the driver's seat located in the middle (and slightly forward of the passengers seating position providing excellent driving visibility). It features a powerful engine and is somewhat track oriented, but not to the degree that it compromises everyday usability and comfort. It was conceived as an exercise in creating what its designers hoped would be considered the ultimate road car. Despite not having been designed as a track machine, a modified race car edition of the vehicle won several races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, where it faced purpose-built prototype race cars. Production began in 1992 and ended in 1998. In all, 106 cars were manufactured, with some variations in the design.^[2]
In 1994, the British car magazine Autocar stated in a road test regarding the F1, "The McLaren F1 is the finest driving machine yet built for the public road." and that "The F1 will be remembered as one of the great events in the history of the car, and it may possibly be the fastest production road car the world will ever see." Chief engineer Gordon Murray's design concept was a common one among designers of high-performance cars: low weight and high power. This was achieved through use of high-tech and expensive materials like carbon fibre, titanium, gold, magnesium and kevlar. The F1 was the first production car to use a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis.
Gordon Murray had been thinking of a three-seat sports car since his youth, but when Murray was waiting for a flight home from the fateful Italian Grand Prix in 1988; Murray drew a sketch of a three seater sports car and proposed it to Ron Dennis, pitched as the idea of creating the ultimate road car, a concept that would be heavily influenced by the Formula One experience and technology of the company and thus reflect that skill and knowledge through the McLaren F1.

Murray declared that ^[4] "During this time, we were able to visit with Ayrton Senna (the late F1 Champion) and Honda's Tochigi Research Center. The visit related to the fact that at the time, McLaren's F1 Grand Prix cars were using Honda engines. Although it's true I had thought it would have been better to put a larger engine, the moment I drove the Honda NSX, all the benchmark cars—Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini—I had been using as references in the development of my car vanished from my mind. Of course the car we would create, the McLaren F1, needed to be faster than the NSX, but the NSX's ride quality and handling would become our new design target. Being a fan of Honda engines, I later went to Honda's Tochigi Research Center on two occasions and requested that they consider building for the McLaren F1 a 4.5 litre V12 or V24. I asked, I tried to persuade them, but in the end could not convince them to do it, and the McLaren F1 ended up equipped with a BMW engine."
Later, a pair of Ultima MK3 kit cars, chassis numbers 12 and 13, "Albert" and "Edward", the last two MK3s, were used as "mules" to test various components and concepts before the first cars were built. Number 12 was used to test the gearbox with a 7.4 litre Chevrolet V8 to mimic the torque of the BMW V12, plus various other components like the seats and the brakes. Number 13 was the test of the V12, plus exhaust and cooling system. When McLaren was done with the cars they destroyed both of them to keep away the specialist magazines and because they did not want the car to be associated with "kit cars".
The car was first unveiled at a launch show, 28 May 1992, at The Sporting Club in Monaco. The production version remained the same as the original prototype (XP1) except for the wing mirror which, on the XP1, was mounted at the top of the A-pillar. This car was deemed not road legal as it had no indicators at the front; McLaren was forced to make changes on the car as a result (some cars, including Ralph Lauren's, were sent back to McLaren and fitted with the prototype mirrors). The original wing mirrors also incorporated a pair of indicators which other car manufacturers would adopt several years later.
The car's safety levels were first proved when during a testing in Namibia in April 1993, a test driver wearing just shorts and t-shirt hit a rock and rolled the first prototype car several times. The driver managed to escape unscathed. Later in the year, the second prototype (XP2) was especially built for crashtesting and passed with the front wheel arch untouched.
Gordon Murray insisted that the engine for this car be naturally aspirated to increase reliability and driver control. Turbochargers and superchargers increase power but they increase complexity and can decrease reliability as well as introducing an additional aspect of latency and loss of feedback. The ability of the driver to maintain maximum control of the engine is thus decreased. Murray initially approached Honda for a powerplant with 550 bhp (410 kW; 560 PS), 600 mm (23.6 in) block length and a total weight of 250 kg (551 lb), it should be derived from the Formula One powerplant in the then-dominating McLaren/Honda cars.

When Honda refused, Isuzu, then planning an entry into Formula One, had a 3.5 V12 engine being tested in a Lotus chassis. The company was very interested in having the engine fitted into the F1. However, the designers wanted an engine with a proven design and a racing pedigree.
In the end BMW took an interest, and the motorsport division BMW M headed by engine expert Paul Rosche^[5] designed and built Murray a 6.1 L (6064 cc) 60-degree V12 engine called the BMW S70/2.^[6] At 627 hp (468 kW; 636 PS) and 266 kg (586 lb) the BMW engine ended up 14% more powerful and 16 kg (35 lb) heavier than Gordon Murray's original specifications, with the same block length. It has an aluminium alloy block and head, with 86 mm (3.4 in) x 87 mm (3.4 in) bore/stroke, quad overhead camshafts with variable valve-timing (a relatively new and unproven technology for the time) for maximum flexibility of control over the four valves per cylinder, and a chain drive for the camshafts for maximum reliability. The engine is dry sump.
The carbon fibre body panels and monocoque required significant heat insulation in the engine compartment, so Murray's solution was to line the engine bay with a highly efficient heat-reflector: gold foil. Approximately 16 g (0.8 ounce) of gold was used in each car.^[7]
The road version used a compression ratio of 11:1 to produce 627 hp (468 kW; 636 PS)^[6] at 7400 rpm and torque output of 480 ft·lb (651 N·m) at 5600 rpm.^[8] The engine has a redline rev limiter set at 7500 rpm.

In contrast to raw engine power, a car's power-to-weight ratio is a better method of quantifying acceleration performance than the peak output of the vehicle's powerplant. The standard F1 achieves 550 hp/ton (403 kW/tonne), or just 3.6 lb/hp. Compare with the Ferrari Enzo at 434 hp/ton (314 kW/tonne) (4.6 lb/hp), the Bugatti Veyron at 530.2 hp/ton (395 kW/tonne) (4.1 lb/hp), and the SSC Ultimate Aero TT with 1003 hp/ton (747.9 kW/tonne) (2 lb/hp).
The cam carriers, covers, oil sump, dry sump, and housings for the camshaft control are made of magnesium castings. The intake control features twelve individual butterfly valves and the exhaust system has four Inconel catalysts with individual Lambda-Sond controls. The camshafts are continuously variable for increased performance, using a system very closely based on BMW's VANOS variable timing system for the BMW M3;^[9] it is a hydraulically-actuated phasing mechanism which retards the inlet cam relative to the exhaust cam at low revs, which reduces the valve overlap and provides for increased idle stability and increased low-speed torque. At higher RPM the valve overlap is increased by computer control to 42 degrees (compare 25 degrees on the M3)^[9] for increased airflow into the cylinders and thus increased performance.
To allow the fuel to atomise fully the engine uses two Lucas injectors per cylinder, with the first injector located close to the inlet valve – operating at low engine RPM – while the second is located higher up the inlet tract – operating at higher RPM. The dynamic transition between the two devices is controlled by the engine computer.^[9]
Each cylinder has its own miniature ignition coil. The closed-loop fuel injection is sequential. The engine has no knock sensor as the predicted combustion conditions would not cause this to be a problem. The pistons are forged in aluminium.
Only 106 cars were manufactured, 64 of which were the standard street version (F1), 5 were LMs (tuned versions), 3 were longtail roadcars (GT), 5 prototypes (XP), 28 racecars (GTR), and 1 LM prototype (XP LM). Production began in 1992 and ended in 1998.^[2] At the time of production one machine took around 3.5 months to make.^[3]

Up until 1998, when McLaren produced and sold the standard F1 models, they had a price tag of around 970,000 USD.^[6] Today the cars can sell for up to nearly twice that of the original price, due to the performance and exclusivity of the machine. They are expected to further increase in value over time.

Although production stopped in 1998, McLaren still maintains an extensive support and service network for the F1. There are eight^[22] authorised service centres throughout the world, and McLaren will on occasion fly a specialised technician to the owner of the car or the service centre. All of the technicians have undergone dedicated training in service of the McLaren F1. In cases where major structural damage has occurred, the car can be returned to McLaren directly for repair.^[22]
On 29 October 2008, an F1 road car (chassis number 065) was sold at an RM Automobiles of London auction for £2,530,000 (~US$4,100,000). This was the car from the McLaren showroom on Park Lane, London. With only 484 kilometres on its odometer, this pristine example set a world record for the highest price ever paid for an F1 road car.

Performance

The F1 remains as of 2011 one of the fastest production cars ever made; as of July 2010 it is succeeded by very few cars including the Koenigsegg CCR,^[24] the Bugatti Veyron,^[25] the SSC Ultimate Aero TT,^[26] and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. However, all of the superior top speed machines use forced induction to reach their respective top speeds – making the McLaren F1 the fastest naturally aspirated production car in the world.

Acceleration

• 0-30 mph (48 km/h): 1.8 s
• 0–60 mph (97 km/h): 3.2 s
• 0–100 mph (160 km/h): 6.3 s
• 0–124.28 mph (200.01 km/h): 9.4 s
• 0–150 mph (240 km/h): 12.8 s 
• 0–200 mph (320 km/h): 28 s
• 30 mph (48 km/h)-50 mph (80 km/h): 1.8 s, using 3rd/4th gear
• 30 mph (48 km/h)-70 mph (110 km/h): 2.1 s, using 3rd/4th gear
• 40 mph (64 km/h)-60 mph (97 km/h): 2.3 s, using 4th/5th gear
• 50 mph (80 km/h)-70 mph (110 km/h): 2.8 s, using 5th gear
• 180 mph (290 km/h)-200 mph (320 km/h): 7.6 s, using 6th gear
• 0–400 m: 11.1 s at 138 mph (222 km/h)
• 0–1000 m: 19.6 s at 177 mph (285 km/h)

• Top speed

• With rev limiter on: 231 mph (372 km/h)
• With rev limiter removed: 243 mph (391 km/h)

• Ameritech

  The American model of the McLaren F1, the Ameritech McLaren F1 is a modified standard McLaren F1 to meet the U.S. regulations; to comply with said regulations the car had to meet stricter emission requirements which increased the weight and also reduced the power somewhat. Due to a lack of airbags for the passengers, the Ameritech edition only has the single driver seat in the middle.