We've already talked about the McLaren F1 and its meticulous repair process here. But the truth is that all the logistics surrounding the maintenance of the British sports car never cease to amaze us.
For the common of mortals, taking the car for inspection means not having it for a few days and, eventually, receiving a replacement vehicle. In the world of supersports, the process works a little differently and in the case of the McLaren F1, even more so.
Maintenance of the few more than 100 McLaren F1 that currently exist is done at McLaren Special Operations (MSO) in Woking. Even though the 6.1 liter V12 engine doesn't report any problems, the MSO recommends removing it from the McLaren F1 every five years. And when a more time-consuming reconstruction or repair is needed, the sports car doesn't need to stand still – quite the contrary. As McLaren herself explains:
“MSO still has the original replacement engines and one of them is still in use. This means that when a customer needs an engine rebuild, they can continue to drive the car.”
In addition to original parts, MSO uses more modern parts to repair or replace some McLaren F1 components, such as a titanium exhaust system or Xenon lights.
Launched in 1992, the McLaren F1 went down in history as the fastest atmospheric-engined production car ever – 390.7 km/h – and the first road-legal model to feature a carbon fiber chassis. After nearly 25 years, F1 is still part of the McLaren family and each customer can count on MSO's support. A real after-sales service!