Ouch! The Not-So-Funny Tale of Mr. Bean’s McLaren F1!

Just two years ago, well-loved British comedian, Rowan Atkinson crashed his McLaren F1 on a freeway in England.  The comedian also happens to be a car nut (like me!).  For almost two years, he drove his Jaguar XFR, while his McLaren F1 was being repaired.  He was driving along (at the speed limit, according to an eyewitness) and hit a patch of black ice.  The rear end of the car spun out, and he attempted to correct the car, but overcorrected, spun several times, and smashed into a signpost and bushes.  As if that wasn’t enough, Cars UK tells us that the repair bill came in at a jaw-dropping 910,000 British Pounds ($1.432 Million USD), but they also took two years.  I’m quite sure that his insurance company was none too happy shelling out that amount, it is far cheaper than finding a replacement McLaren F1.

Thankfully, due to the strong carbon-fiber monocoque of the F1, Mr. Atkinson wasn’t seriously injured.

When the McLaren F1 came out in 1992, it was the fastest production car.  Ever -now that title goes to the mighty Bugatti Veyron SuperSport (268 mph).  It was powered by a BMW V12 engine that pumps out a mighty 618 horsepower.  Plus, it weighed in at just under 2600 pounds.  Those two factors bring the car’s top speed up to a whopping 231 mph with the speed limiter, it is 242 mph.  Plus, it gets about 15 mpg.  Also, race-car tires were reworked to be street legal.  This means that the car can drive at top speed for almost 30 minutes before it runs out of gas and/or the tires go bald.  The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport can go faster, but not for so long!  All of these factors brought the price of the McLaren F1 up to a mere 640,000 British Pounds, which translates to $1.007 million USD!

Today, examples of the car can fetch up to 5 million British Pounds, which is $7.757 million USD!  This makes the repair seem like a genuine bargain!

While I am on the side of those rooting for the owners of hypercars like the McLaren F1 to drive the cars, the message is clear – drive the car on sunny days when there is no ice on the road!  I’m glad to know that Rowan Atkinson is reunited with his prized possession, I wouldn’t want to be there when he gets his next insurance premium!