An instant after being launched by a hump in the road at over 100 mph, my view of the sky from the central driving position McLaren F1
In that airborne instant, I believe anything is possible. Forget the moon—with an engine this potent, let's aim for Mars. McLaren F1
McLaren F1 When the four-point touchdown comes, it is so velvety that the suspension feels as though it might have been designed for landings.
McLaren F1 As the speedo needle hits 125 mph, an instant shift—so precise and mechanical it's like pulling back a well-oiled bolt on a rifle—brings fourth gear
and another disorienting burst of power that thrusts me forcefully back into the tight-fitting bucket seat. McLaren F1
Still we accelerate. Just 5.4 seconds later, a green up-shift light flashes, appropriately positioned at the 7500-rpm redline on the tach in the center of the instruments. McLaren F1
Into fifth gear at 150 mph. Still no lessening of acceleration thrust. The car—squat, stable, a green limpet on the road—shoots forward. McLaren F1
No. My courage runs out, the survival instinct takes over. Onto the brakes. I press hard, through the pedal's inert feel before they bite to blunt forward movement.
Less than 30 seconds earlier, I'd waited back up the road for an all-clear signal. Even as the BMW V-12 idled evenly at 900 rpm, I could sense its invincibility. McLaren F1
McLaren F1 The exhaust note might be subdued, but caress the throttle and the revs soar. I can't resist.
This engine responds so instantly it feels as if it doesn't have a flywheel, like a racing engine. McLaren F1
McLaren F1 The induction bellow is almost ephemeral it can be timed so accurately. The tach needle jerks savagely around the gauge, as if directly connected to the crankshaft.
The McLaren F1 forces restraint because there is no way to drive it legally—except on an autobahn or a racetrack—and even begin to probe the full extent of its power and speed.