The McLaren F1 is still quite possibly the greatest road going car of all time. It may have abdicated its top speed crown of 240.1mph, but it did so without the help of forced induction, making it the fastest Naturally Aspirated road car to this day. The F1 has a unique three seat design, with the driver’s seat positioned in the middle, making entry and exit a bit of a pain, but it optimizes the driving experience, which is the F1′s most brilliant trait. There are few cars that can rival the F1′s ability to combine street car with race car, and still fewer do so in such a mature but still sexy exterior. But while the F1 excels in the performance category, its effect is mostly aspirational, inspiring future high-end exotics and our own lowly middle class visions of grandeur. Getting an F1 is like applying for public office: you need money, charisma, and clout, and even then, there aren’t always enough spots to go around. To an enthusiast, the F1 may be number 1, but in the whole scheme of things, it’s simply too exclusive. |