Car Of The Day: November 22, 2010

Today's car of the day is Hot Wheels' 1995 McLaren F1 GTR.

The McLaren F1 GTR was a racing variant of the McLaren F1 sports car first produced in 1995 for grand touring style racing, such as the BPR Global GT Series, FIA GT Championship, JGTC, and British GT Championship. It is most famous for its overall victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans where it beat out faster purpose-built prototypes. McLaren F1 GTRs raced internationally until 2005 when the final race chassis was retired.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: McLaren F1 GTR

Here's a nice release from Hot Wheels.  Judging from the graphics, this is one of the cars that was later modified for street use after retiring from racing.

Following the end of competition for most F1 GTRs in 1998, the various chassis were put to different uses. Some cars, such as the Le Mans-winning chassis #01R, were put on public exhibition at motor shows or in museums. Others were bought by private collectors, either for storage or for use by their owners in historic track day competition, such as the GT90s Revival Series which mainly involved former BPR Global GT Series competitors.

A handful of GTRs were not only bought by private owners, but also extensively modified by McLaren to make them street-legal machines. In order to meet regulations, the cars were required to have their ride heights increased, as well as a change from a racing fuel tank and inlet to a more traditional tank and fuel cap. The air restrictor on the engine was also removed, allowing the BMW engines to produce their full potential power. Comforts such as the production car's sound deadening system, and even sometimes the two passenger seats, were left out of the car. These modified McLaren F1 GTRs are considered the ultimate versions of the road car, since they weigh considerably less than any of the other street cars. Several F1 GTRs in this form are still driven today.