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Need for Speed Wiki

The 1994 McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive.

It was originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray with backing from Ron Dennis and design work by Peter Stevens for the car's exterior.

Its construction employed some of the most cutting edge materials and technologies in the industry at its time. Production began in 1992 and ended in 1998 with a total of 106 units with some variations in the design. The car was notable for the driver's seat being placed in the centre with two passenger seats on each side, making it a three-seater.

For improved grip at high speeds, it employs a system which includes airflow management, electric fans, and a brake-activated rear foil. Built on a strong and ultralight carbon composite chassis, the F1 is powered by a 627 bhp BMW V12 engine.

The British car magazine Autocar stated during a road test in 1994 that "The McLaren F1 is the finest driving machine yet built for the public road" and that "The F1 will be remembered as one of the great events in the history of the car, and it may possibly be the fastest production road car the world will ever see."

The McLaren F1 was the first road car from the company which until then had focused solely on motorsports, especially in Formula One. It was the world's fastest production car until the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 entered production.

Games[]

Need for Speed II[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed II. Available from the beginning, it is the strongest car in the game, possessing unmatched top speed, as well as excellent acceleration, braking and handling.

In the Special Edition re-release it is grouped in Class A alongside the Ferrari F50, Ford GT90 and Lotus GT1. The F1 remains as one of the most competitive vehicles for Tournament and Knockout race series, as the Special Edition's inclusion of the faster FZR 2000 is limited to Single Race mode.

Description

Pursuing its goal of creating the ultimate road-going sports car, McLaren Cars spared no expense and drew upon its vast Formula One racing knowledge to create the spectacular McLaren F1, a super light high performance car which employs some of the most cutting-edge technologies and materials in the industry.

Built on an incredibly strong and ultra light carbon composite chassis, the F1's potent BMW V12 engine producing 627 horsepower is capable of propelling this car to a stunning 231 mile per hour top speed, earning it the distinction of being the fastest production sports car in the world.

For improved grip and handling, the F1 employs a complex system of air flow management – electric fans and a brake-activated rear foil whose combined effects literally suck the car to the ground at high speeds.

Carrying a staggering £540,000 sticker price, the McLaren F1 is the most expensive production road car in the world, but for drivers that demand ultimate performance and can afford the price, few cars can match either its speed or acceleration.

— In-game Showcase

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 as a class A car in alongside the McLaren F1 LM and Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR.

Description

The McLaren F1 is in a class by itself: 627 horsepower, 479 foot-pounds of torque. Top speed for the F1 is over 240 miles an hour.

The McLaren F1: The 48 valve, 12 cylinder engine generates 627 horsepower at 7500 RPM. This translates in a 0 to 60 miles an hour times of 3.2 seconds.

The McLaren F1 is the fastest production car ever built. Maximum engine speed from its 48 valve V12 engine is an amazing 7500 RPMs. The F1 burns through 0 to 100 miles an hour in unbelievable 6.3 seconds.

— In-game Description

Stock[]

Players will unlock the McLaren F1 upon earning 80,000 NFS points in the PC, Xbox, and Gamecube releases. It is unlocked in the PlayStation 2 release upon completing event #30; The Ultimate Road Race.

The F1 in both releases has the highest top speed (240 mph) out of any car. It also has competitive acceleration and good controllability. However, the F1 LM is capable of higher cornering speeds.

NFS Edition[]

The NFS Edition F1 is unlocked upon earning 160,000 NFS points in the PC, Xbox, and Gamecube releases. It is unlocked in the PlayStation 2 release upon earning 5,000,000 NFS points.

Need for Speed: ProStreet[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: ProStreet included with the downloadable Booster Pack for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 releases.

It is one of the fastest cars due to a high top speed and acceleration, yet still maintains controllable steering.

Once upgraded with stage 4 performance parts, it can outperform most cars in Grip and Speed events. Despite being rear wheel drive, it remains responsive whilst turning at high speeds with such a setup.

Need for Speed: Undercover[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: Undercover as a tier 1 vehicle with a price tag of $290,000. It is unlocked upon reaching Wheelman Level 13.5, but does not appear in the PlayStation 2 and Wii releases.

It is featured in the Job event Rocket Ride. The F1 is an average tier 1 car, but is a very competitive car when upgraded with the best parts available. Top speed is 245 mph (394 km/h).

Need for Speed: Shift[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: Shift as a tier 4 car with a price tag of $850,000 and 15.50 car rating. It is unlocked upon the player earning 180 stars.

In comparison to other tier 4 cars, the F1 has a decent acceleration and high top speed. The F1 has good grip but is prone to oversteer. Nevertheless, it is on a par with all-wheel drive cars such as the Lamborghini Reventón in corners.

Need for Speed: World[]

The F1 was made available in Need for Speed: World on November 16, 2012 as an S class vehicle.

In terms of performance, the Elite is almost similar to the Pagani Zonda Cinque, making it significantly faster than other Elite cars and most class S competitors. Its acceleration is somewhat slower than the Cinque's, but counts as the second fastest in the game.

It also possesses a powerful nitrous boost. Its steering is very responsive and stable. It allows the F1 to achieve the arguably highest cornering speeds within class S.

The exterior of the F1 Elite was designed as an evolution of the original McLaren F1 and was created to be the "ultimate evolution of the ultimate drivers car." It bears a strong resemblance to GT1 race cars such as the McLaren F1 GTR from the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The proportions of the car were enlarged to improve the cornering capabilities of the F1. There is also an integrated lip spoiler on the front bumper and a carbon-fibre GT rear spoiler fitted on the Elite to improve downforce and thus handling.

To increase aerodynamic smoothness, the nose and tail were stretched. It was further improved with the addition of a diffuser, which replaces the exhaust tips of the car. They were instead moved to the top surface of the rear. A large roof scoop was installed on the car, too.

The F1 Elite is best suited for race events and drag races. Due to its light weight, the F1 can avoid obstacles in Pursuit Outrun with ease. However, it does not withstand collisions well.

Stock: 731 (A class) Maximum: 843 (S class)

Elite (Cash)

The Elite style is an elite car that costs 2,000,000. It was released on June 16, 2015 as part of the End of the World event.

It is fitted with tuned quality Medion performance parts, 2-star Skill Mods, and various aftermarket parts.

Performance Parts
Aftermarket Parts
Standard Body
Stock Spoiler
Stock Hood
Stock Wheels
Skill Mods
Class S Car 820
 830
 908
 724
Elite
2,000,000

Elite (SpeedBoost)

The Elite style is an elite car that costs SpeedBoost22000. It was released on November 16, 2012 following the 12th "Spot the Devs" event.

It is fitted with tuned quality Medion performance parts, 2-star Skill Mods, and various aftermarket parts.

Performance Parts
Aftermarket Parts
Standard Body
Stock Spoiler
Stock Hood
Stock Wheels
Skill Mods
Class S Car 820
 830
 908
 724
Elite
SpeedBoost22000

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) as a Hyper Series racer vehicle, and as an SCPD Special Response unit.

The racer vehicle is unlocked upon the player earning a total of 620,000 racer bounty. The SCPD unit is unlocked upon the player earning a total of 747,740 cop bounty.

The McLaren F1 is the easiest to control Hyper Series vehicle and has by far the strongest nitrous boost when compared to others in its class. Its top speed is also higher than that of the Koenigsegg CCX as well as having much more responsive and easier-to-control handling. However, it also has the slowest acceleration of all the Hyper Series cars, especially in its final gear.

Description

“Legendary”

Designed by Gordon Murray the McLaren F1 held the record for the fastest production car in the world for 7 years. There may be faster cars but the McLaren F1 is still the fastest naturally aspirated production car with a speed of 240 mph set on March 31 1998.

Weighing only 1,140 kg and incorporating a specially built 6.1 litre V12 from BMW, the McLaren F1 is able to achieve speeds of 240 mph due to its refined aerodynamics and incredible attention to detail. With no power steering or assisted braking the car demands a lot from its driver but will also reward them with a unique driving experience.

There are a lot of unique features for the McLaren F1 that are added purely for their focus on driver and performance like the central seating position, gold leaf lined engine bay (this was for heat dissipation). Only 64 of the standard road going version were made which has pushed the price of owning one upwards of twice the original asking price.

— In-game Info

Shift 2: Unleashed[]

The F1 appears in Shift 2: Unleashed as a Retro Road class car with a price tag of $2,000,000. It has a performance index rating of A 1660 and 3.63 handling rating.

It is one of the fastest Retro Road class cars. The works conversion body kit closely resembles the body work of the McLaren F1 GTR.

Need for Speed: The Run[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: The Run as a Supercar class car.

Its inclusion was revealed by the official Need for Speed website on November 2, 2011.

Stock

The stock F1 is unlocked from the beginning of the game.

Top Speed: 241 mph (388 km/h)
0 to 60 Time: 3.3s
BHP: 627 @ 7,400 rpm
Performance: Tier 6
Handling: Normal
Class: Supercar
Drivetrain: RWD
Value: N/A
Manufacture Year: 1994

Need for Speed: Heat[]

The F1 '93 appears in Need for Speed: Heat as part of the Black Market.

It was announced to be part of the March Update on March 2, 2020[1], and was made available for purchase on March 3, 2020 with the McLaren F1 Black Market Delivery pack.

Stock

The stock F1 '93 is unlocked for pickup from Port Murphy upon reaching Reputation Level 30, but requires purchasing and downloading the McLaren F1 Black Market Delivery pack.

Upon completing its pickup location, it is made available for purchase from the car dealer for 0.

It has a customisation rating of seven and can be equipped with performance parts.

Black Market:  LVL 30 (McLaren F1 Black Market Delivery)
 326
0
POWER 3.3
HIGH SPEED 4.7
ACCELERATION 5.6
NITROUS 2.0
HORSEPOWER [bhp] 618
0-60 MPH [s] 3.20
MAX TORQUE [ft-lb] 479
TOP SPEED [mph] 221
Customisation (Rating: 7/10)
Engine Swaps (8 Available)
618 bhp 6.1L V12
363,000, REP LVL 30
[bhp] 618 / 1,100
567 bhp 4.4L V8
281,500, REP LVL 31
[bhp] 567 / 1,096
542 bhp Forged 2.0L I4
287,000, REP LVL 31
[bhp] 542 / 1,043
599 bhp 3.8L F6
276,000, REP LVL 35
[bhp] 599 / 1,069
591 bhp 3.8L V6
288,000, REP LVL 35
[bhp] 591 / 1,068
570 bhp 4.5L V8
289,000, REP LVL 35
[bhp] 570 / 1,118
600 bhp 2.0L I4 Hybrid
299,000, REP LVL 35
[bhp] 600 / 1,089
592 bhp Forged 2.6L I6
341,500, REP LVL 35
[bhp] 592 / 1,084

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered as a car tier 5 vehicle available to cops and racers.

It is easy to control and responsive handling, as well as by far the strongest nitrous boost in its tier. It also has a high top speed but has slow acceleration, especially in its final gear.

Cop[]

The F1 Interceptor is an SCPD Special Response unit unlocked upon earning 755,000 cop bounty.

Special Response Unit - Cop (Tier 5)
"Legendary"
Earn 755,000 cop bounty.

Top Speed: 240 mph (386 kph)

0 to 62: 3.20s

BHP: 618 @ 7,500

Drive: Rear-Wheel

Price: $970,000

Year: 1994

Racer[]

The F1 is a Hyper Series racer unlocked upon earning 620,000 racer bounty.

Hyper Series - Racer (Tier 5)
"Legendary"
Earn 620,000 racer bounty.

Top Speed: 240 mph (386 kph)

0 to 62: 3.20s

BHP: 618 @ 7,500

Drive: Rear-Wheel

Price: $970,000

Year: 1994

Need for Speed: Unbound[]

The F1 (1994) appears in Need for Speed: Unbound as part of Volume 1 following a car list article published on October 6, 2022 to the official Need for Speed website.[2][3]

Stock

The stock F1 can be purchased from the "Buy Stock" section of the "Buy and Sell" menu in the garage for $1,100,000 and has a Tier S+ 332 performance rating.

Story[]

It is unlocked for purchase in the Story mode upon the player beating Qualifier 3 at the end of Week 3 and reaching Sunday, Week 4.

Lakeshore Online[]

It is unlocked for purchase in Lakeshore Online mode upon the player finishing 20 Tier S playlists in any position using any McLaren vehicle.

Custom

The custom F1 is an epic rated modified vehicle gifted to players that own and have played Need for Speed: Heat. It was introduced with the release of Volume 4 on August 16, 2023.

It can be purchased from the "Buy Custom" section of the "Buy and Sell" menu in the garage for $1,100,000 and has a Tier S+ 332 performance rating.

Story & Lakeshore Online[]

It is gifted to the player in the Story mode and Lakeshore Online mode as a loyalty reward, as well as being unlocked for purchase.

Upon being gifted to the player, it is added to both their Story mode and Lakeshore Online mode garages, as well as being made available for purchase from the "Buy Custom" section of the "Buy and Sell" menu in the garage.

Need for Speed: Mobile[]

The F1 appears in Need for Speed: Mobile.

It was included as part of the "Open Beta" made available in China on July 11, 2024 as prior an UI image of the F1 could be found in the game files of an earlier closed beta test session.

Trivia[]

  • The dynamic rear spoiler is functional in Need for Speed II, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010), Shift 2: Unleashed, Need for Speed: Heat, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, and Need for Speed: Unbound.
  • The McLaren F1 appears on the box art for the European releases of Need for Speed II.
  • In Need for Speed II, the McLaren F1 is fitted with fog lights at the front, which are fitted to the early 1992 Clinic Model prototype.
    • The Clinic Model prototype is featured in the Showcase slideshow and video alongside the production model.
  • In Need for Speed II: Special Edition, winning a race will show a trophy with a screenshot of the McLaren F1 LM.
  • In Need for Speed: ProStreet, the McLaren F1 is incorrectly referred to as an American muscle car.
  • In Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, the F1 can be selected with either a McLaren Orange, Volcano Orange, Red, Green, Azure Blue, Light Blue, White, Silver Metallic, or Black body paint colour.
  • In Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, the F1 SCPD Interceptor is fitted with a racer licence plate instead of an SCPD licence plate.
  • In the Nintendo Wii and 3DS releases of Need for Speed: The Run, the F1 has a body paint coloured diffuser.
  • In Need for Speed: Heat, the '93 F1 can be fitted with various visual parts developed for the '95 McLaren F1 LM and '97 McLaren F1 GTR "Long Tail".
  • In Need for Speed: Heat, it is listed as a 1993 model year.
Development - Some content may have altered during development.
  • During early development of Need for Speed II, the McLaren F1 was entirely based on the Clinic Model prototype.[4]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Tweet: @NeedforSpeed "She might be 27 but she doesn't look her age 😉👉 http://x.ea.com/62687". Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1234492349541240832
  2. Website: ea.com/games/need-for-speed (2022) Need for Speed Unbound Car List. Available at: https://www.ea.com/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/about/car-list
  3. Article: gamespot.com (2022) Need For Speed Unbound Has Over 140 Cars To Collect And Customize. Available at: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/need-for-speed-unbound-has-over-140-cars-to-collect-and-customize/1100-6508106/
  4. Website: Youtube.com (2017) Need for Speed II (1997) - Official Trailer. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbcDMYK_fLk