One of the most impressive McLaren collections goes under the hammer with Tom Hartley JNR. The pieces are all unique and represent the final chassis of each production run.
The collection is valued at several tens of millions of dollars
These are the last chassis of each production, which adds to their value
Mansour Ojjeh is one of the most influential figures in McLaren’s history
Mansour Ojjeh, the Franco-Saudi entrepreneur whose influence shaped McLaren into one of Formula 1’s most iconic and successful teams, left a legacy far greater than trophies and titles. Revered for both his business acumen and quiet generosity, Ojjeh’s impact was felt across the motorsport world—and far beyond it.
Born in Paris in 1952, Ojjeh was the son of influential Saudi businessman Akram Ojjeh. He was educated in California, earning a master’s degree in business before taking the reins of the family’s Luxembourg-based investment firm, Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG). Under his leadership, TAG expanded its interests across aviation, luxury goods, and, most famously, motorsport.
Ojjeh’s love affair with cars began early. In his twenties, while living in North America, he owned a Lamborghini Countach and a Rolls-Royce Corniche—just the start of a lifelong obsession with exceptional machines. That passion evolved into one of the world’s most coveted Ferrari collections, including such rarities as the 250 California Spyder and the 288 GTO. Yet Ojjeh wasn’t content to merely own legendary cars—he wanted to build one.
That dream crystallised in 1988, in the aftermath of the Italian Grand Prix. A delayed flight and a conversation with McLaren boss Ron Dennis and engineer Gordon Murray gave birth to an audacious plan: to create the finest road car ever conceived. The result was the McLaren F1—widely regarded as one of the most important supercars in automotive history, celebrated for its groundbreaking design and engineering purity.
As McLaren Automotive emerged as a serious player in the road car business, Ojjeh made a bold move. He sold his Ferrari collection and committed to building something entirely new: the ultimate McLaren road car collection. At the heart of it sat his McLaren F1, chassis #075—the final F1 ever built, finished in a unique hue called Yquem, named after the prestigious French dessert wine. The shade, later renamed “Mansour Orange” in his honour, was never offered to other customers and remains exclusive to his cars.
In fact, exclusivity defined the entire collection. Ojjeh secured the final chassis number of each McLaren model, ensuring his cars benefited from every production update. With the exception of his F1—which shows just 1,810 km—and a P1 GTR occasionally driven at track events, each vehicle remains untouched, stored in pristine factory-delivered condition. McLaren maintains the collection personally, a privilege no other collector has ever been granted.
Ojjeh’s formal journey in Formula 1 began in 1979 with TAG’s sponsorship of the Williams team. But it was his landmark decision in 1984 to invest in McLaren that truly altered the course of motorsport history. TAG famously funded the development of the TAG-Porsche turbo engines, helping McLaren secure two Constructors’ Championships and three Drivers’ titles. It was the start of a decades-long partnership that would define an era.
Over four decades, Ojjeh became a central figure in McLaren’s rise. Under his influence, the team captured seven Constructors’ and ten Drivers’ Championships. He also played a crucial role in the launch of McLaren Automotive and McLaren Applied Technologies, helping to expand the brand beyond racing and into a broader realm of innovation and design.
When Mansour Ojjeh passed away in June 2021, tributes flooded in from across the motorsport world and the industries he touched. Friends, rivals, and business partners remembered a man of vision, humility, and unwavering passion—a rare combination in any field.
More than just a collection of cars, the McLaren vehicles bearing his name stand as a living tribute to a man who never compromised. His pursuit of excellence, from racetrack to road, helped shape not only a team but an entire era of motorsport. Today, Mansour Ojjeh’s legacy endures—in carbon fibre, in chrome, and in the spirit of innovation that drives McLaren forward.
