For BMW fans, there is no more exciting supercar than the McLaren F1. It’s not exactly a BMW, but its engine is. The 6.1 liter naturally aspirated V12 that powers the F1 was designed by legendary BMW engine builder Paul Rosche and built by BMW M. The mind behind the McLaren F1, Gordon Murray, went to Rosche with a number of demands on its engine. Requirements that seemed almost impossible and Rosche was able to deliver what could be the greatest engine of all time.
In this new video from Carfection we see the first part of an epic group test between the McLaren F1, the Porsche 911 GT1 and the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR. All three cars raced against each other in the mid-1990s and each had success. All three cars are also some of the most iconic and incredible racing machines ever designed.
This video is just the first part and focuses on the McLaren F1 as it was the first of the three to debut. The F1 was first introduced in the early 90s and was a revolutionary machine. Not only was it revolutionary for the time, but it would hold numerous records for decades to come. In fact, the packaging, performance, and engineering are still incredibly impressive today.
However, the most exciting part of the McLaren F1 is still its engine. Gordon Murry believes that the engine of a car is most of its driving experience, which is why creating the perfect engine was so important to him. Murray’s requirements for the engine were that it had to be a V12, that it had to be naturally aspirated and that it had to have more than 100 hp per liter. Paul Rosche delivered all of these things when the V12 displaced 6.1 liters, didn’t use forced induction, made 627 hp (618 hp), spun at 7,500 rpm and made the most gruesome noise. The F1’s BMW-derived V12 is still one of the most impressive engines ever made, and possibly the best ever made.
In addition, the McLaren F1 was incredibly light, with unsupported steering, six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, great aerodynamics, and the most responsive handling of any car ever made. So there is a good chance that F1 will claim victory in this group test when all is said and done, and of course BMW fans are drawn to it.
