McLaren has announced the sale of five historic Formula 1 cars, spanning more than three decades of its history. These vehicles will be individually marketed by Tom Hartley Jnr. and include a 2023 MCL37A, which the team itself describes as the most modern F1 available to private collectors.
Among the items for sale are two 1991 MP4/6A chassis, #04 and #07, both equipped with a naturally aspirated Honda V12 engine. These cars were driven by Gerhard Berger in Grand Prix races and later tested by Ayrton Senna in 1992. Chassis #04 finished second in Imola, and #07 came second in Silverstone without suffering any race accidents.
The auction also includes the 2012 MP4/27A #01, driven by Jenson Button and tested by Lewis Hamilton, and the 2021 MCL35M #01, piloted solely by Lando Norris. The latter reached the podium in Imola, Monaco, and Monza, where McLaren achieved its first victory since 2012, and participated in Monaco with the special Gulf livery.
The most recent car is the MCL37A #03, driven by Norris to finish second in Singapore and Japan in 2023. After the competitions, it remained in McLaren's testing program, being driven by Oscar Piastri, Pato O’Ward, Mick Schumacher, Valtteri Bottas, and Martin Brundle. Brad Pitt also drove the car at the Circuit of the Americas during preparation for the F1 film.
Zak Brown justified the decision to sell, stating that it would be a waste to keep such cars merely stored, preferring that collectors use them again on the tracks. In parallel, BYD plans to launch the hybrid BYD Dolphin GT in Brazil in 2027, a hatchback positioned between the Dolphin Mini and the Dolphin, aiming to compete with more traditional models like the VW Polo and Chevrolet Onix.
The Dolphin GT, sold in Europe as the Dolphin G, is expected to use the same mechanical package as the Atto 2: a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine with a 16-valve head and direct injection, combined with an electric motor. This setup generates 177 hp in the entry-level GL version and 197 hp in the GS variant, maintaining 30.6 kgfm of torque. The transmission is an e-CVT with a single mechanical gear. Although the Dolphin GT does not share a platform with the electric vehicles already sold in the country, it adopts a more conventional profile.
It is estimated that the BYD Dolphin GT could reach Brazil costing around R$ 130,000, initially imported from China, although the manufacturer is preparing for production at the Camaçari (BA) plant.
In another piece of news, Jeep launched the 2027 line of the Compass, introducing a 48V mild hybrid system (MHEV) in the Night Eagle and Série S versions. This powertrain uses the 1.3L 16v T270 turbo engine, complemented by a small 16 hp and 6.6 kgfm electric motor. Despite the electrical addition, the total power remains at 176 hp and 27.5 kgfm of torque. The change impacts fuel consumption, resulting in savings of up to 11% with gasoline.
Regarding McLaren, the decision to sell the cars was motivated by Zak Brown's view that it is better for them to return to the tracks rather than just remain as decoration. Finally, Subaru will discontinue its boxer engine in Europe starting next year, with plans to sell only electric models in the Old Continent from 2028 due to increasing environmental regulations.