Lot details
Registration No: K951BFL
Chassis No: 009
Mot Expiry: 28.6.2003

The Rocket, a racing car styled road car with centre-steering, was designed by the legendary McLaren F1 team engineering chief Gordon Murray at about the same time that he was conceiving the extraordinary McLaren M1 supercar. The object was to demonstrate how similar goals, in terms of performance, could be achieved by opposite means. With an all-up weight of only 370 kg and 140 bhp (at 10,500 rpm!) from its relatively small 4-cylinder twin cam, 5-valves per cylinder Yamaha motor, the resultant Rocket was actually the fastest roadgoing car in the world up to 100 mph at the time of its launch in 1992. Acceleration times recorded by the Autocar magazine at the time are still absolutely incredible, for 0-60mph took just 5 sec and 0-100 mph 12.3 sec, whilst the top speed clocked was 131 mph!
Murray's Rocket was put into production by the Light Car Company, an enterprise largely funded by Ferrari collector Brandon Wang, and about 45 were built. With cost really being no object, the ex-factory price rose steadily from an initial £38,000 to around £50,000. Despite this, however, many of these projectiles, perhaps the ultimate street legal machines for getting from A to B in the shortest possible time without leaving the ground, went straight to the top of the shopping lists of wealthy celebrities.
Chassis number 009 being offered here today was one of the first batch of Rockets. Indeed, this is the car that was photographed for the original factory brochure before being sold to pop musician Guy Fletcher. When the current owner, a well known motoring journalist, acquired the car from the Dire Straits drummer in December 1997, it had only about 5000 miles indicated and had been driven almost exclusively at Track Days. During his ownership, the vendor tells us that he used the car very much as his 'daily driver' and then only during the summer months. Because of the surprisingly soft and comfortable ride and central steering position, he has found it ideal for continental touring. When entered for the sale, the total mileage indicated was about 26,000 miles.
K951 BFL has been maintained in tip-top mechanical condition all its life. It is to original specification and in original condition throughout, with a set of nearly new Bridgestones, fresh brake pads, new battery and with factory-supplied tool kit all intact. Although the ten year old Silver Grey paintwork does have a few stone chips and, perhaps, may benefit from freshening up and the tonneau cover renewing, otherwise this Rocket is ready to provide its new owner with as many memorable launches as it has for the vendor. Engineered by one of the most successful F1 designers and capable of stupendous performance, this missile with rock provenance could be a really fun weapon in your armory.