Think about it mac f1

[dimlight]

I was wondering....


How would the mclaren F1 perform if Gordon Murray had gone for the ferrari V12 instead of a bmw v12 engine.

Anyways-... ive always considered that it is a bmw supercar .. not that the car is all about the engine.. but it has alot to do with most of its abilitites... acceleration, top speed.... dont know about the transmission though..


what do you guys think

[Cotterik]

There might be minor differences in the performance, altho i seriously doubt that ferrari would produce an engine for one its biggest rival supercars, so it would never happen. Gordon Murray wouldnt choose Ferrari either, BMW are great enough, plus it would change the whole image of the car; instead of being a british supercar with excellent german engineering, it would be a british supercar with an italian engine, somehow it doesnt quite flow.

[Coventrysucks]

Originally Posted by dimlight

How would the mclaren F1 perform if Gordon Murray had gone for the ferrari V12 instead of a bmw v12 engine.

Whilst an interesting idea it would NEVER have happened.

McLaren did initially go to Honda - who had been contributing successfully to McLaren's F1 programme, but they shied away from the expense of developing the unit.

I suspect Ferrari wouldn't have done it for similar reasons, and the fact that not only are McLaren and Ferrari bitter rivals in F1, but the F1 would be competing with Ferrari's own supercars.

If however the unlikely pairing had been formed - the result would have been largely similar.

Ferrari's V12 of that period was derived from the F1 powerplant, and was used in the F50 at 4.7 litres producing 513bhp, and in the 333SP racer at 4.0 litres and 650bhp, so the McLaren powerplant would probably have produced the same level of performance.

I don't think it would have been as good though, I suspect that the delivery of power would not be as linear as with the BMW engine, as it was concieved to be used uniquely in the road going F1, rather than being derived as an F1 engine. The requirements of both are very different.

[dimlight]

Interesting point.. i never looked at it that way.. being f1 rivals and all.

[F1_Master]

Its pretty easy to see why McLaren wanted Honda. Honda had been helping McLaren win F1 races way back in the day.

I think it was in the 60's.

[Coventrysucks]

Originally Posted by F1_Master

Its pretty easy to see why McLaren wanted Honda. Honda had been helping McLaren win F1 races way back in the day.

I think it was in the 60's.

Bruce McLaren founded the McLaren team in 1966. Honda were not used as a provider for power untill 1988, untill Honda withdrew from F1 in 1992.

Mclaren won the constructor's world championship in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and came second in 1992. Quite a successful partnership then.

Honda had previously taken Williams to victory in the constructor's championship in 1986 and 1987.