How the Mclaren F1 Got Its Staggering Start-Up Sound

Thanks to the powers of car meets, or at least those of YouTube, many enthusiasts know the unusual mechanical music the BMW V12 plays when asked to wake up to life. And yet, very few are aware of the roots of that intro.

Fortunately, the supercar's designer, Peter Stevens, took the time to explain how the 6,064cc V12 got its start-up sound while attending the Auto® automotive design conference that took place back in 2012 in Croatia - this story came to our attention via Redditor Haematobic.

And no, this part of the engine doesn't come from BMW Motorsport's Paul Roche, the man who signed the mechanical masterpiece.

Listening to the story of the 627 hp V12 is even more amazing when you think about the fact that the F1 was actually set to use Honda power. The Japanese carmaker went for a downsizing move just as the F1 was being poured into shape, so Gordon Murray, the puppet master behind the project turned to Roche, his mate from the Brabham F1 era, in order to power the car.

In today's click-and-run era, you may not have time to follow the 30-minute video below that sees Stevens sharing many F1 stories, even though this is worth your undivided attention. Should that be the case, feel free to jump to the Soundcloud fragment below the footage.

Those of you who find the time to dip their minds in the video, though, should know the people accompanying Stevens at the table are Chris Longmore, designer of the Lightning GT EV, Alessio Minchella, IED professor and car designer, and moderator Daniel Tomicic, the organizer of the event.

At the bottom of the page, we've added a second clip, which includes an F1 start-up. Enjoy!