McLaren, the Americas has produced a short film featuring Justin Bell and Jay Leno, showcasing the capabilities of the new McLaren 750S, some 30 years after Bell’s historic drive in the McLaren F1 GTR at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The film highlights the precision and technology of today’s 750S while celebrating the legacy of the McLaren F1 GTR and its success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was piloted to a podium by Justin Bell, Derek Bell and co-driver Andy Wallace.
In the film, Leno also showcases his personal McLaren F1, renowned for its groundbreaking design and performance. At the time, the McLaren F1 represented the pinnacle of automotive engineering, as the new McLaren 750S does now. This crossover bridges the gap between McLaren’s storied racing history, and today’s supercar.
Said Bell of the capabilities of the 750S: “(With the F1) I had a six-speed manual, just over 600 horsepower. I had to be so delicate with the manual shift gauge. And yet here, I have these electrifying, downshifts, upshifts, from the seven-speed gearbox, that I could’ve only dreamed about back then!”
Bell continues: “You know how they say that the Apollo 13 mission ran on technology inferior to a modern-day iPhone? If that’s the case, then my F1 GTR from 1995, was a British red phone box, and this is a supercomputer.”
Leno, a legendary automobile collector and former late-night television host, said of the 750S: “I’m so impressed with McLaren as a car company because you really do feel your one with the car when you’re in there. The difference is really in driving it. … How is it different from other cars? Well, when you drive you really can tell.”
Watch the Justin Bell/Jay Leno x McLaren 750S Film here and look out for the final scene that, on the anniversary of McLarens famous debut at Le Mans, hints at something special to come from Justin and Derek Bell.
The film highlights the precision and technology of today’s 750S while celebrating the legacy of the McLaren F1 GTR and its success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was piloted to a podium by Justin Bell, Derek Bell and co-driver Andy Wallace.
In the film, Leno also showcases his personal McLaren F1, renowned for its groundbreaking design and performance. At the time, the McLaren F1 represented the pinnacle of automotive engineering, as the new McLaren 750S does now. This crossover bridges the gap between McLaren’s storied racing history, and today’s supercar.
Said Bell of the capabilities of the 750S: “(With the F1) I had a six-speed manual, just over 600 horsepower. I had to be so delicate with the manual shift gauge. And yet here, I have these electrifying, downshifts, upshifts, from the seven-speed gearbox, that I could’ve only dreamed about back then!”
Bell continues: “You know how they say that the Apollo 13 mission ran on technology inferior to a modern-day iPhone? If that’s the case, then my F1 GTR from 1995, was a British red phone box, and this is a supercomputer.”
Leno, a legendary automobile collector and former late-night television host, said of the 750S: “I’m so impressed with McLaren as a car company because you really do feel your one with the car when you’re in there. The difference is really in driving it. … How is it different from other cars? Well, when you drive you really can tell.”
Watch the Justin Bell/Jay Leno x McLaren 750S Film here and look out for the final scene that, on the anniversary of McLarens famous debut at Le Mans, hints at something special to come from Justin and Derek Bell.
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MotorTranscript
00:00This is the fastest production car on Earth, the McLaren F1.
00:06The only carbon fibre structure to rival this for sheer complexity is the US Air Force's stealth bomber.
00:12But where can a car this fast be driven to its limits?
00:16A racetrack has to be the answer.
00:18The most famous race in history.
00:22Yeah, that's me in the famous Harrods McLaren F1 GTR during the 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours.
00:31It was the exact moment during torrential rain in the middle of the night
00:35that the eventual winner, JJ Leto, in another McLaren F1 GTR went by me at the end of the Mulsanne Strait.
00:42It was also the moment that McLaren road cars became famous all around the world.
00:48And three decades later, I'm going to show you quite how far that DNA has come.
01:13And this is that DNA in action.
01:19When you think about it, time in all sports is the most precious commodity.
01:25But in racing, it is an absolute.
01:29And 30 years, 30 years since I drove the McLaren F1 GTR at Le Mans is an eternity.
01:36You might as well rewrite the history of the automobile in that time.
01:40I had a six-speed manual, just over 600 horsepower.
01:44I had to be so delicate with the manual shift gate.
01:47And yet here, I have this electrifying downshifts, upshifts from the seven-speed gearbox
01:55that I could have only dreamed about back then.
02:04I think that what they've done with the 750S is managed to capture that heritage that started back then.
02:11You know, let's make a road car. Oh, and then maybe the last road car that you could drive to the racetrack and race.
02:17Right.
02:21I'm so impressed with McLaren as a car company because you really do feel you're one with the car when you're in there.
02:28The difference is really in the driving.
02:30People, well, how is it different from other cars?
02:33Well, when you drive it, you really can tell.
02:37I love that it's rear-wheel drive because all the fun is between 40 and 120.
02:42And with a car like this, you can hang the tail out getting on an exit.
02:45You feel the speed, you sense it, and you can feel it through every part of the car.
02:49And that's what's so much fun about it.
02:54Here's a good analogy for you.
02:56You know how they say that the Apollo 13 mission ran on technology
03:01The Apollo 13 mission ran on technology inferior to a modern-day iPhone.
03:06If that's the case, then my F1 GTR from 1995 was a British Red Pro Box.
03:14And this is a supercomputer.
03:20Literally under my fingertips and in the blink of an eye,
03:24the 750S has transformed from being a very compliant road car
03:31with all the niceties you'd expect
03:34into something that Bruce McLaren himself would be so proud of.
03:39Hello, Mr Bell.
03:41The car for you and your father is ready for you.
03:45You are very welcome.
03:47And we'll see you on the 14th.
04:08Thank you.