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Have McLaren F1 values topped out?

The McLaren F1 was a game-changer when it came out in the early 1990s, and it's still widely regarded as one of the finest supercars ever made. It's little wonder that values have been climbing in recent years. The question for collectors is now: Will prices keep rising, or have they reached their zenith? As recently as 2006, you could pick one up for less than $1 million: the database at classic car insurance firm Hagerty shows that an example in fair condition 10 years ago was worth around $700,000, while a top-notch, concours-ready specimen was valued at about $1.15 million. That seemed like a lot at the time, but just two years later, that range had skyrocketed to between $2.3 million and $3 million. Suddenly those 2006 prices seemed like a smart investment in hindsight, but after that initial jump, they stayed around that level for several more years before things started getting crazy. "Buyers over the last several years have been end users as opposed to speculators and they routinely drive and enjoy the cars." – Jonathan Klinger, Hagerty By the start of 2013, values had jumped to between $4.1 and 5.3 million. By the end of that year, they were up to between $6.5 and 8.9 million. And by the end of 2014, they had reached $7.9 million for one in fair condition, and over $10 million for a pristine example. But then things leveled out again. "Values have risen quickly," notes Jonathan Klinger, vice president at Hagerty, "but it isn't a bubble situation. Buyers over the last several years have been end users as opposed to speculators and they routinely drive and enjoy the cars." Sports Car Market records that the last F1 to change hands at auction was a 1998 model that RM Sotheby's sold for $13.75 million as part of the Pinnacle Portfolio in Monterey last summer. But that example had the rare best-of-both-worlds combination of the LM performance upgrades with the road-spec interior to make it stand out above the rest. Gooding & Company sold another F1 over the same weekend in 2013 for $8.47 million, but a year later, a seller refused a high bid of $10.75 million for a mint-condition example. "For the time being, we see a very stable market for F1s," says David Brynan, senior specialist at Gooding.

One F1 comeback is enough for Jenson Button

MONACO - Formula One may have seen the last of Jenson Button following the 2009 world champion's Monaco Grand Prix comeback as stand-in for McLaren race regular Fernando Alonso. The 37-year-old Briton made it abundantly clear at the weekend that while he enjoyed the experience more than expected he had no desire to do any more Formula One races this year. "It has not whetted the appetite for any more -- definitely not," said Button, who started last and from the pit lane due to penalties and retired from the race after colliding with Pascal Wehrlein's Sauber. Button, who was deemed at fault by race stewards and given a three-place grid drop for a next race that may never happen, will have breathed a big sigh of relief to see double world champion Alonso emerge unscathed from a crash-strewn Indianapolis 500. Had the Spaniard been injured in a race he led for 27 laps before his car's Honda engine expired in all-too familiar circumstances with 21 of the 200 laps remaining, Button's services might have been required further. Asked before the race whether he might return as a stand-in later in the year if required, Button replied: "Who knows, but I don't plan on it. "I also know that the team don't plan on moving their race drivers around. "So no, it's definitely not the plan for me to race again this year in Formula One. In other categories, possibly yes. But not in Formula One, I've got my own things that I'm enjoying away from the sport at the moment." Former champions McLaren -- the only team yet to score a point this year -- have an option on Button for 2018 but he left no doubt that he had not missed the sport he left at the end of last year. While he said he had enjoyed practice "more than I have for a couple of years to be fair", he was also clearly unsettled by the width and characteristics of the new cars and the prospect of trying to overtake. The best moment of his afternoon was perhaps a phone call from Alonso before the start, with the Spaniard wishing him luck and asking him to take car of his car. "Ok, I'm going to pee in your seat," replied Button with a laugh. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Motorsports McLaren Racing Vehicles F1 monaco grand prix

McLaren GT reveals new track-bound 650S Sprint

McLaren has been keeping itself busy over the summer preparing for Pebble Beach – especially at the Special Operations and GT divisions. The former will roll in to the Concours d'Elegance this month with a pair of specially prepared supercars, but it's McLaren GT that's sure to steal the spotlight. Because it will not only unveil the P1 GTR in Monterey this year, but also the 650S Sprint you see here. As we anticipated back in April, the 650S Sprint will replace the outgoing 12C Sprint as McLaren's new track toy. Slotting in between the road-going 650S and the new 650S GT3 racer, the 650S Sprint is optimized for the race track, but not homologated for any particular racing series. In other words, it's designed as a play thing for wealthy enthusiasts. Presented in an inverse color scheme to the 650S GT3, with black and orange over white bodywork, the new Sprint car features a number of upgrades over the road-going model. For starters, it's got more downforce and better cooling for the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8. Though McLaren hasn't specified increased output, it has confirmed that both the engine and gearbox have been recalibrated for track duty. It's also got a competition-spec fuel tank with quick-fill cap, enlarged radiator, retuned suspension, Pirelli racing slicks on 19-inch center-lock wheels, upgraded brakes, on-board air jack system, fire suppression system and a stripped-out cabin with FIA-approved roll cage, HANS-ready racing buckets and six-point harnesses. Given that a large share of these are sure to find homes on tracks along the Persian Gulf, keeping the air conditioning system in place, despite the focus on saving weight, was probably a good idea. McLaren GT is pricing the 650S Sprint in the UK at GBP198,000 (including local taxes). That's negligibly few grand more than the road-going 650S (or, for that matter, the previous 12C Sprint), but since the 650S Sprint is confined to the track, it's a an even more indulgent purchase. TRACK-FOCUSED 650S SPRINT TO MAKE GLOBAL PREMIERE AT 2014 PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE McLaren GT has today confirmed that it will premiere its latest model at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, with the wraps set to come off the track-only 650S Sprint. The stripped-out racer will make its global debut alongside a number of other models from McLaren Automotive, and completes the brand's display with four global debuts planned for the Californian event, including the McLaren P1™ GTR.