The McLaren F1: The Greatest Supercar of All Time? - The Cheat Sheet
For millions of gearheads who came of age in the ’90s, the McLaren F1 was more than just a car, it was mythical. It stunned the automotive world when it burst on the scene in 1992 and was unlike anything that came before it. For this writer (and countless other American kids), raised in a sea of Ford Tauruses and Dodge Caravans, it was pure science fiction. On top of the hand-me-down bedroom staples like the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari F40, Porsche 959, we had the Corvette ZR-1, Dodge Viper, and the Lamborghini Diablo to marvel at. But none of us kids had ever heard of McLaren before, and it seemed... cars that looked good on the wall, but left something to be desired on the road. As obscure as it may have seemed to American elementary school kids, McLaren was no startup or flash-in-the-pan automaker. Since the 1960s, it had been one of the premier racing manufacturers in the world, with success in Formula 1, Can-Am, and at the Indianapolis 500. By the late ’80s, the company was riding especially high. Thanks to an engine partnership with Honda, its white and red Marlboro-sponsored cars dominated Formula 1 throughout the decade, and its MP 4/4 cars owned the 1988 season, taking 15 of 16 races. Source: www.cheatsheet.com
