1992 MCLAREN F1 in 1:8 scale by Amalgam
Power, pace and peerless quality, the legendary McLaren F1 is a technological masterpiece. The fastest production car of its time. The finest sports car of its generation. For many, the greatest supercar ever built. Beautifully engineered and exceptionally quick, the McLaren F1 broke numerous world records during the 1990s and remains the fastest naturally aspirated production car ever built, clocking a production car record of 240.1mph in 1998. Only 106 cars were made in a limited production run, making it one of the most exclusive cars in the world today. Staggeringly, it was McLaren’s first ever road car.
Brilliance takes time: it took four years to meticulously plan, design and build the all-conquering machine. The McLaren F1’s chief designer, Gordon Murray, had been developing on the one-plus-two seating configuration since the 1960s. Twenty years later, his innovative arrowhead concept came to fruition. After analysing existing supercar performance characteristics, the F1’s handpicked engineering team rethought every element of sports car design. Drawing on McLaren’s Formula 1 expertise, and with an uncompromising approach to design, they stripped weight, reduced drag and increased downforce. Every millimetre of the F1 was painstakingly analysed to create the world’s most exhilarating car: each carbon fibre chassis took over 3,000 hours to build; the throttle pedal was handcrafted out of six separate pieces of titanium; the instrument panels were handmade and hand-painted with each needle individually machined. This level of precision extended to the driver too – as each cabin was customised to the owner.
From the Formula 1 inspired telemetry to the pioneering carbon chassis, the F1’s innovative technologies were decades ahead of its time. Some of the most influential engineering highlights, like the carbon fibre tub, dihedral doors, flat underbody and Airbrake are still signature features on today’s McLarens. The naturally aspirated 6.1-litre, V12 BMW powerplant generated the highest power output for its size and delivered over 620bhp. To best reflect the heat generated by so much power, the engine bay was lined with pure gold. To enhance performance, handling, braking and sheer driving feel, the team knew they would have to minimise weight across the spectrum. The McLaren F1 was the first road car with a carbon fibre chassis, its weight-saving wheels made from magnesium alloy and its supporting sub-structure from titanium. To create traction-enhancing load without adding mass, the team also applied the latest ground force techniques to the car. The computer-controlled Airbrake balanced load across the car and ensured the F1 maintained poise when braking hard, a system that was more sophisticated than anything before of it.
This fine 1:8 scale model of the McLaren F1 is finished in silver, complete with a black interior, as first unveiled to the world at The Sporting Club in Monaco in May 1992, during the Monaco Grand Prix. It has been handcrafted and assembled in our workshops using detailed colour and material specifications supplied directly from McLaren Automotive, and our own CAD data created through digital scanning of an original car. Furthermore, it has undergone detailed scrutiny by both engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation. Every Amalgam 1:8 scale model is supplied in a luxury black presentation box and mounted on a carbon fibre or leather base protected by a clear acrylic dust cover. The model title, original branding and edition number are displayed on polished stainless-steel plaques mounted at the front end of the base.
The McLaren F1 is limited to only 199 pieces.