The $14 million McLaren F1 supercar is now 25 years old

For most, it's hard to believe the iconic marvel of engineering is a full quarter century old.

To this day, the F1's modern design and speed demon performance stand up to the test of time.

"The F1 is a technological tour de force and a real triumph in terms of packaging and design," Former McLaren Automotive executive chairman Ron Dennis said in a statement in 2010. "Whether endurance racing or on road, it is supremely fast, agile, and yet comfortable. Its styling is enduring and will never fade."

Over a period of six years, including race cars, only 106 McLaren F1s were ever built. The rarity and iconic status of the model mean they command a king's ransom these days. A couple of years ago, comedian Jay Leno told Business Insider that someone once offered $11 million cash for his F1. The comedy legend and car collector politely declined that offer.

In 2015, a McLaren F1 belonging to comedian Rowan Atkinson sold for $12 million even though it had been destroyed and rebuilt on two separate occasions. Later that year, a converted LM spec F1 sold for $13.75 million at auction in Monterey, California.

Here's a closer look at the automotive marvel that is the McLaren F1.

Here's a closer look at the amazing McLaren F1.

The McLaren F1 was born from the racing team founded by legendary driver Bruce McLaren.

The team has dominated Formula One racing — winning 182 races and eight World Championships.

In 1988, McLaren obliterated the competition by winning 15 of the 16 races on the F1 schedule. Afterward, the team decided it was time to use its talents to build the ultimate road car.

Four years of development under the guidance of designers Gordon Murray (seen here) and Peter Stevens ...

... led to the McLaren F1.

In May, 1992, the car launched in Monte Carlo with an astronomical sale price of $810,000. Even with the lofty price tag, the F1 became an instant sensation. Famous owners included ...

... a young Elon Musk (who wrecked his car) and ...

... comedian Jay Leno, who owns the first F1 imported to the US.

In its heyday, the F1 was unlike anything the world had ever seen. As a result, it reached near-mythical status among car lovers.

In 1998, a five-year-old McLaren F1 prototype reached an incredible 243 mph, becoming the fastest car in the world. The record would stand for a decade.

The car included numerous unique design features, such as a three-passenger cabin with the driver sitting in the middle.

It was also one of the first road cars in the world to be built using carbon fiber.

Power for the F1 came from a naturally aspirated 6.1-liter BMW V12 — seen here in Leno's garage. In the standard road car, the engine produced 627 horsepower.

McLaren lined the inside of the engine compartment with gold because the material is good at reflecting heat.

In 1995, the F1 GTR racers dominated the grueling 24 Hours of LeMans endurance sports-car race, finishing first, third, fourth, fifth, and 13th.

Even more impressive, the leading GTRs were essentially road cars modified to conform with racing regulations.

To commemorate the victory, McLaren built five special "LM" edition production cars painted in the company's distinctive "papaya orange" color.

But more people wanted the LM cars than the company originally intended to build. So McLaren took some of the 64 standard F1 road cars and upgraded them to "LM" specifications. The cars pictured is one of them.

Distinguishing features on the LM include a carbon-fiber spoiler in front and ...

... a carbon-fiber wing in back.

The LM has a more powerful 680-horsepower version of the standard car's BMW V12 engine.

At 2,341 pounds, the LM is more than 100 pounds lighter than the standard F1.

The result is the fastest-accelerating F1 road car ever built, capable of reaching 60 mph in less than three seconds and 100 mph in less than seven seconds.

The increased down force from the rear wing, however, has cut the LM's top speed down to 225 mph.

In addition to the standard F1 and the LM, McLaren built several other special editions, including ...

... longtail race cars and ...

... the ultra-rare long-tail road cars.

Today, the flagship of McLaren's lineup is the million-dollar P1 hybrid hypercar.

A $2 million three-seat hyper-GT car code-named BP23 is slated to debut in 2018.

Even after 25 years, however, the most memorable and iconic car in McLaren's stable is still the F1.

The $14 million McLaren F1 supercar is now 25 years old

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