The exact McLaren F1 that man traded his fiancée for is actually one of the most legendary supercars in history with incredible past

The McLaren F1 that a man traded his fiancée for has a truly epic story, and it all starts with Ron Dennis, McLaren’s former boss and the car’s first owner.

Chassis 003 is one of the most storied examples of the legendary supercar ever built, and it’s still being driven decades later.

The team at VINWiki caught up with it during the 2025 McLaren F1 Owners Tour in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, where it continues to turn heads among a convoy of million-dollar machines.

Few cars carry as much history, personality, and sheer audacity as this one.

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This McLaren F1 is actually well-driven

Presenter Ed Bolian shared the story of this legendary car in a recent VINwiki video.

Back in the mid-1990s, when the McLaren F1 was brand-new and redefining what a road car could be, former McLaren boss Ron Dennis took delivery of Chassis 003.

His car wore a subtle gray exterior with a burgundy-accented interior.

It became one of the most recognizable F1s of the era, used for countless press appearances.

One of its most iconic moments was a spirited run up the Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb in 1995, just one week after the F1’s legendary Le Mans victory.

The supercar’s story was already tied to history, both in the boardroom and on the racetrack.

It has also been carefully upgraded along the way.

The car had a custom GPS antenna (to combat the car’s carbon-fiber signal-blocking quirks), and a factory sport exhaust that makes it even more glorious to hear echoing through the Smoky Mountains.

Today, it’s still driven, showing nearly 30,000 miles on the odometer, which is a rarity for an F1.

How someone ‘traded’ their partner for a McLaren F1

But the car’s most jaw-dropping story didn’t happen on a racetrack.

In fact, it didn’t even happen in America.

After Ron Dennis sold it, the F1 was reportedly bought by a Japanese woman, who gave it as a gift to her son.

Of course, there’s a catch.

She would only give him the McLaren if he agreed to break off his engagement to a woman she didn’t approve of.

So what did the son do?

Well, faced with the prospect of owning a McLaren F1, the son did the only thing he could.

He accepted, ended the engagement, and essentially traded his fiancée for the supercar.

In hindsight, this might be one of the most dramatic ‘breakup bonuses’ in history, given that the car could easily fetch over $20 million.

And while those who are true romantics might scoff at his decision, for motorheads, this is just proof that love may fade, but the roar of a McLaren F1 will last forever.

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