Car collectors and Formula 1 enthusiasts are in for a rare treat. A rare collection of 20 pristine McLaren supercars once owned by the late French-Saudi billionaire Mansour Ojjeh is about to be auctioned by leading British dealer Tom Hartley Jnr.
The collection spans four decades of innovation and includes the final production examples of each model, from a 1998 F1 to a 2023 Elva. Nearly all the cars remain untouched, finished in an exclusive hue once called “Yquem” but now renamed “Mansour Orange” in his honour.
Ojjeh was no ordinary collector. As CEO of the TAG Group and a key investor in McLaren Racing since 1984, he helped fund the TAG-Porsche engine that powered McLaren to two Constructors’ and three Drivers’ Championships in the 1980s. His passion extended beyond the racetrack; it was Ojjeh who encouraged the development of McLaren’s road cars after a conversation with Ron Dennis and Gordon Murray in 1988, leading to the creation of the legendary McLaren F1.
His love for the brand was so profound that he sold his Ferrari collection to focus solely on McLarens. Each car in this elite lineup is the final build of its model series. All but two are still in their factory-delivered state, maintained under McLaren’s direct supervision. The famed F1, considered the crown jewel, has just over 1,100 miles on the odometer, while a P1 GTR was used only during McLaren’s official track days.
No pricing or sale dates have been announced. However, Hartley Jnr recently sold Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula 1 car collection for $646 million, setting high expectations. For those dreaming of parking a slice of McLaren history in their garage, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance, though likely not for the budget-conscious.
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