These Two Cars and One Engine Will Sell for a Fortune Next Month
Monterey Car Week in California is fast approaching. The event, which is set to take place from August 8-17, will once again be headlined by the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and some exceptional new vehicle debuts, as well as the various auctions where cars sometimes change owners for eight-figure prices.
At least three of the biggest stars for sale this year come from the 1990s, including two extremely rare sports cars and even a race car engine with ties to one of the greatest drivers of all time. We've featured them below, but don't forget to browse the photo gallery at the top of the page for a closer look!
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1997 McLaren F1
The main highlight of the RM Sotheby's auction on August 16 will undoubtedly be the sale of this 1997 McLaren F1 (chassis 062), one of only seven units that were exported new to the United States. Over the years, the world-renowned British supercar has had only three owners and covered barely more than 10,000 km.
Numerous post-production upgrades were made by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), including upgraded air conditioning, upgraded radiators, a sports exhaust and an aluminum fuel tank. The McLaren dealer in Philadelphia serviced the car in 2024 and it is currently in perfect working order.
According to RM Sotheby's, its value exceeds US$23 million, equivalent to CA$31 million at today’s exchange rate. This would be a record for a McLaren F1 and possibly one of the top 15 largest sums ever paid for a car at auction.
1993 Ferrari F40 LM
The legendary F40 is considered by some to be the ultimate Ferrari ever made, but let’s not forget about the LM competition model that was produced in 19 examples by Michelotto, specifically for the European FIA-GT series and the American IMSA championship. This one, the 14th (chassis 95448), will also be offered for sale by RM Sotheby's.
The car is built to GTC specification, about 700 lbs lighter, and packs the most powerful engine of any F40, producing 760 horsepower (a gain of 289 horsepower). In 2014, it returned to its original workshop for an engine and gearbox overhaul plus a refresh of its original Rosso Corsa livery. Most recently, it received a number of new parts including Michelin Pilot Sport GT Slick S7M tires.
Certified by Ferrari Classiche in 2009 (with all supporting documents) and still in splendid condition, the 1993 F40 LM you see here is expected to sell for close to US$9.5 million (approximately CA$13 million) if RM Sotheby's estimates are correct.
Ayrton Senna’s Last Honda V10
On August 15 at the Bonhams Quail Auction, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) will auction the number V805 of RA100E, the last Honda V10 engine raced by Ayrton Senna in the 1990 Formula One season, which was installed in the McLaren Honda MP4/5B. That’s the year the late Brazilian driver won his second F1 championship, by the way. It was used by Senna during the warm-up session of the Japanese Grand Prix in October and in the race session at the Australian Grand Prix in November.
Typically, Honda F1 engines at the time were returned to Japan for analysis, disassembled to check for wear and fatigue, and often discarded. However, since 1990 was the last year for the V10 engine and development of the V12 engine for the following year had already begun, the V805 was preserved in its original state.
For the Bonhams auction, the engine was carefully disassembled by HRC's mechanics, then arranged in a beautiful display case containing all parts. An original certificate proving the authenticity of the engine will be included, too. No estimate is provided, but the engine will be sold without reserve.