13 Cool Alternatives to the McLaren F1 That Won’t Break the Bank
The McLaren F1. Iconic. Unmatched. The GOAT. Fine, we get it. But at $20 million+ for the cheapest example, surely some more affordable alternatives are out there.
Launched 32 years ago, the F1 was truly ahead of its time. But technology doesn’t stand still. For the past 10 years or so, plenty of vehicles can match it in a straight line and don’t require you to become a Bond villain to attain one.
The F1’s once jaw-dropping performance figures are still impressive today, so our criteria for this list was simple. Find the coolest cars that can give you McLaren F1 performance levels at a fraction of the price. Affordability at these levels is relative, so don’t smash your piggy bank on the floor yet…
1992 McLaren F1 Specs
The McLaren F1’s power and performance stats are etched in most gearheads’ brains for eternity, but just in case you want a refresher, here are the bare figures: 627-hp, 6.1-liter BMW V12 engine. 0-60mph: 3.2 seconds.
Quarter mile time: 10.8 seconds. Top speed: 240.1 MPH. Not just ahead of its time, but seriously impressive 32 years on.
2024 BMW M8 Competition Coupe
The BMW M8 is a fearsome sports car that will out-accelerate a McLaren F1 to 60mph. That’s thanks to its 617-horsepower twin-turbo V8 and all-wheel-drive traction advantage.
New ones cost almost $140,000, but a used model is well below 100K, and it even has a usable trunk and seating for four.
2024 Corvette Stingray
With a $68,300 MSRP, the Corvette Stingray is one of the biggest performance bargains. Its mid-mounted 6.2-liter V8 delivers an impressive 495-hp, which allows it to launch to 60 mph in under 3.0 seconds in drag racing conditions.
Even on the street, it should frighten the gold Rolex off a McLaren F1 driver if they don’t do a perfect launch. If you were wondering, you could buy 292 Corvette Stingrays for one used F1.
2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock
There have been plenty of overpowered Dodge Challengers in recent years, and one of the best is the 2023 SRT Super Stock. It costs $91,300 when new, and that’s not a lot of money for an 807-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8.
Acceleration times in the Super Stock are purely traction-limited, but in the right conditions, it is capable of at least a 3.0-second 0-60mph time.
2016 Ford GT
Some Ford GT fans initially complained that the second generation GT ‘only’ had a V6 engine, but that was until they realized it produced 660-hp and was on a different level than the earlier V8 GT.
Not only is the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 a powerhouse, but the suspension and chassis have been designed to offer maximum performance on the racetrack. The 2016 GT matches the McLaren F1 over the quarter mile, and you can have one for twenty times less than an F1, which makes it, umm, a one-million-dollar supercar.
2016 Ferrari 812 Superfast
The 812 Superfast is one of the few naturally aspirated road cars that makes more power than the McLaren F1 and delivers even scarier performance figures.
With 789 horsepower, the Superfast will blast past 60 mph in under 3.0 seconds and top out at 211 mph. They were around $350,000 new, and used examples are available for about the same figure. At least you won’t lose any money on depreciation.
2024 GMA T50
Gordon Murray was the automotive designer behind the creation of the McLaren F1. He felt that no other modern supercar had sufficiently captured the essence of his original design, so he made a new one.
It is called the GMA T50 and is essentially a modern-day F1. It has a mid-mounted naturally aspirated 654 horsepower V12, seating for three, and an analog driving feel that no other modern car offers. Yours for one-tenth the asking price of the old car. Unfortunately, you’ll have to ask Murray to build you an extra one, as the current production run has sold out.
2012 Lamborghini Aventador
The Aventador was in production for so long that we wondered whether Lamborghini had forgotten to push the big stop button down at the factory. The harsh single-clutch gearbox was always a weak point, but that howling V12 engine and its eyeball-squashing performance made up for a lot.
You’ll want one of the later SV models with 760-hp to ensure you have the firepower to take on the lighter McLaren F1. Good ones start at $250,000.
2013 Lamborghini Huracan
The Huracan was Lamborghini’s ‘entry-level’ model until just a few weeks ago when the Temerario was announced as its replacement. For bargain-hunting supercar buyers, that just makes the Huracan an even better prospect.
Every Huracan produced was fitted with a howling 5.2-liter V10 with up to 631-hp. Thanks to all-wheel drive and launch control, most versions can keep up with a McLaren F1 in a drag race, and even when new, they cost a relatively paltry $250,000.
2017 McLaren 720S
McLaren didn’t release a supercar for over a decade after the production of the F1 ended. Then, in 2010, the company was renamed from McLaren Cars to McLaren Automotive, and the MP4-12C followed soon after.
There have been some amazing McLaren supercars since then. Still, for our purposes, the recently discontinued 720S fits the bill as a more affordable alternative to the original F1. Producing 710-hp from its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, it is quicker everywhere except at top speed. Due to relatively low resale values, you can find them from $240,000 and up.
2007 Nissan GT-R
The original supercar slayer has been produced since 2007 and remains a seriously quick sports car. At a starting MSRP of $121,090, a new Nissan GT-R can no longer be considered cheap, but there are plenty of examples out there, starting at around $50,000.
The earliest cars produce 473-hp, but that, combined with a very effective all-wheel-drive system and launch control, will still deliver McLaren F1-beating acceleration times.
2024 Porsche 911 Turbo
The Porsche 911 Turbo offers supercar levels of performance for, well, supercar money. But the $197,200 MSPR for the standard Turbo is what supercar owners would consider pretty darn affordable.
It offers 572 horsepower and a 0-60mph time of just 2.7 seconds. That’s very rapid, and nearly new examples can be found at a slight discount. If the regular model isn’t quite peppy enough, there is also the 640-hp Turbo S to consider.
2024 Tesla Model S Plaid
The only sedan on our list is also the quickest car in most acceleration runs. The Tesla Model S Plaid has redefined what fast means in recent years thanks to its impressive electric drivetrain.
It certainly isn’t perfect, thanks to its awkward yoke steering wheel, brakes that can leave you wanting, and a build quality that can still be found wanting. But for an MSRP of $83,490, you get a 1,020-hp family car that can cover the quarter mile in under 10 seconds. Those numbers are, quite frankly, unbeatable.
