One of the lowest-mileage McLaren F1s in the world is for sale ... again.
This 1995 McLaren F1, painted in a unique shade of Creighton Brown, sold at auction during Pebble Beach car week in 2021 for $20,465,000. Now, nearly three years later, it's on the market again. And it's barely been driven by its new owner.
At the time of its sale through Gooding & Company in 2021, this F1's odometer read 387 kilometers, or about 240.5 miles. It blew past its $15 million estimate, making it one of the most expensive cars sold that year and the most expensive car to ever sell through Gooding & Company during car week.
In the nearly three years since that sale, whomever purchased this F1 hasn't driven it much. A new auction for the car, set to be held through Sotheby's Sealed on May 13, reveals F1 chassis number 029 now shows 410 kilometers, or 254.8 miles, on the odometer. That means its new owner put just 14 miles on the odometer in three years of ownership, equating to less than five miles per year. Tragic.
We can understand why someone with a vested interest in this McLaren might want to keep the mileage low. Of the 64 road cars built, it's one of the lowest-mile examples in existence, making it extremely desirable to collectors. RM Sotheby's estimates F1s have appreciated in value by approximately $1 million per year, so any extra mileage would likely hurt those gains.
At the same time, if you're wealthy enough to buy a McLaren F1 for over $20 million dollars, surely taking a tiny hit for some extra mileage would be worth the enjoyment of driving it, right? The F1 is touted as the best driver's car of all time, so what's the point of owning one if you never get to drive it?
This car has likely sat in climate-controlled garages throughout its life, and that's a damn shame. Whomever buys it this time will have a chance to change that. The car is expected to sell for over $20 million through its online auction, but because it's being sold through Sotheby's Sealed, the public won't know the final hammer price.
Whatever the price may be, it's likely worth it. We just hope the winner will enjoy this F1 how it was meant to be enjoyed.
