McLaren Car Collection Expected to Fetch Over $70M at Auction

A unique collection of 20 rarely-used McLaren road cars formerly owned by the Formula One team`s late co-owner, Mansour Ojjeh, is going up for sale. There are hopes a single buyer might acquire the entire collection.

Classic car specialist Tom Hartley Jnr announced he has been appointed by Ojjeh`s family to manage the sale, which is expected to exceed $70 million.

Hartley previously handled the sale of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone`s collection of 69 historic race cars to Red Bull heir Mark Mateschitz earlier this year.

The collection features the final McLaren F1 ever built. It sports a unique `Yquem` colour, later renamed `Mansour Orange` by McLaren, and has accumulated just over 1,800km.

Only 106 McLaren F1s were produced between 1992 and 1998. A 1995 model with under 390km fetched $20.4 million at a 2021 auction in Pebble Beach, California.

Apart from the F1, all other cars in the collection are finished in the same orange colour and represent the final chassis produced for their respective models.

With the exception of the F1 and a P1 GTR, the vehicles are unused and have been maintained by McLaren. Images showed them displayed at the Bahrain F1 circuit.

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, stated, “Mansour was a founding father of McLaren as we know it today.”

Brown added, “He was a hugely passionate racer and car enthusiast, and the biggest fan of McLaren. His collection is truly exceptional; I know of nothing else comparable.” Brown himself has a notable car collection.

Ojjeh, a Saudi businessman born in Paris, took over as CEO of Techniques d`Avant Garde (TAG) from his father. TAG sponsored the Williams F1 team in 1979.

In 1984, he acquired an ownership stake in McLaren, funding the development of TAG-Porsche engines that secured two constructors` titles and three drivers` championships.

Ojjeh, who passed away in 2021 at age 68, was instrumental in establishing McLaren Automotive alongside Ron Dennis.

Hartley commented, “Being entrusted with the sale of Mansour Ojjeh`s McLaren collection feels like handling Enzo Ferrari`s Ferraris or Ferdinand Porsche`s Porsches.”

He added, “This is the most important McLaren road car collection ever assembled, and I sincerely hope it goes to a single buyer.”