The late Mansour Ojjeh was many things – visionary, industrialist, connoisseur – but above all, he was a man whose passion for automobiles and motorsport helped shape the modern performance landscape. Now, his unparalleled personal collection of 20 McLaren road cars is being offered for sale by UK-based luxury dealer Tom Hartley Jnr Ltd.
For collectors and enthusiasts alike, this is far more than a transactional moment – it’s the rare opportunity to acquire a historic McLaren collection curated by the man who helped make the McLaren F1 a reality.
A Legacy Rooted in Racing and Innovation
Born in 1952, Ojjeh was the son of Saudi-naturalized Syrian businessman Akram Ojjeh, founder of the TAG Group (Techniques d’Avant Garde). With a French mother and a cosmopolitan upbringing spanning Europe and the United States, Mansour Ojjeh developed an international perspective from an early age. After graduating from Menlo College and earning a master’s degree from Santa Clara University, he joined TAG and began forging his own legacy.
His early car collection included icons like the Lamborghini Countach and Rolls-Royce Corniche, eventually maturing into Ferrari royalty with models like the 250 California Spyder and 288 GTO. But it was a visit to the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix that shifted his automotive interest from personal passion to professional ambition.
After sponsoring the Williams F1 team between 1979 and 1982, Ojjeh’s vision diverged from that of team principal Frank Williams—particularly regarding his desire to build the ultimate road-going supercar. That divergence led to his decision to invest in McLaren, forever changing the trajectory of Formula 1 and high-performance road cars.
The TAG-Porsche Power Play
Ojjeh acquired a stake in McLaren in 1984 for a reported $5 million. This investment helped launch a new golden era for the team. With backing from TAG, McLaren developed turbocharged Porsche-built V6 engines, leading to three Formula 1 Drivers’ Championships and two Constructors’ titles between 1984 and 1987.
Ojjeh also acquired Swiss watchmaker Heuer in 1985, rebranding it as TAG Heuer, which later sold to LVMH for $740 million. Still, his dream of producing an uncompromised supercar remained.
That vision began to take shape in 1988, after McLaren had lost a perfect F1 season at Monza. In a now-legendary moment at the airport, Ojjeh, Ron Dennis, Creighton Brown, and Gordon Murray conceptualized what would become the McLaren F1. Murray sketched the car on the spot: a lightweight three-seater with a central driving position, a BMW V12 engine, and a carbon-fiber monocoque – the first in a production car.
The result was historic. The GTR version of the McLaren F1 went on to Le Mans outright in 1995, and another variant set a top speed record of 240.1 mph in 1998, becoming the fastest road car of its era and one of the most iconic supercars ever built.
Curating a McLaren Masterpiece
Ojjeh’s personal McLaren F1 journey began with chassis 036, finished in pale blue metallic with a blue Alcantara interior. He later replaced it with chassis 075, the final standard production F1 that originally belonged to his brother, and painted in a bespoke color inspired by Château d’Yquem. The hue became known as “Mansour Orange”, renamed by McLaren in his honor and unavailable to anyone else.
When McLaren Automotive launched its road car division in 2010, Ojjeh set about building what is widely regarded as the most complete private McLaren road car collection ever assembled. Highlights include:
● F1
● MP4-12C
● P1 GTR
● Speedtail
● Senna
● Elva
● Sabre
● Multiple Longtail and Le Mans variants
Each car was ordered with a final chassis number and factory specifications. All remain in delivery-mile condition, except the F1 and P1 GTR. Under Ojjeh’s instruction, McLaren itself maintained the fleet – an honor granted to no other collector.
More Than a Collector
Ojjeh’s influence extended far beyond garage walls. As a co-owner and board member, he helped guide McLaren to seven Formula 1 Constructors’ and 10 Drivers’ Championships. He also played a key role in the founding of McLaren Applied Technologies, further reinforcing the brand’s status as a performance innovator.
Despite his business acumen, Ojjeh was known for his loyalty, humility, and passion. When he passed away in 2021, tributes poured in from across the global motorsport and luxury communities.
Now, four years later, his widow, Kathy Ojjeh, shares her thoughts on the sale: “McLaren meant so much to Mansour. It was more than business, it was pure passion and it was in that vein that he curated this unique collection of McLaren road cars. The ‘Last of Legends’ car collection is a treasure for our family – a reminder of the hours we witnessed Mansour designing each car to his specifications.
He had an unusual talent for detail that stuns and impresses, a talent driven by the very passion he nurtured for so many years with McLaren. Parting with this very personal collection is not easy, but it is time for it to go to its new custodian, one who truly ‘gets it’ and will cherish owning and caring for it the way Mansour did.”
A Rare Opportunity for Collectors
This is more than just a McLaren collection for sale – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire a curated set of rare, factory-spec supercars from a man who lived the brand from pit lane to production line. Each vehicle reflects the vision of someone who wasn’t just a benefactor to McLaren, but a co-architect of its greatest triumphs.
For those who understand the nuance of provenance, rarity, and passion, this collection is a rolling tribute to Ojjeh’s lasting legacy in luxury performance and motorsport history.
Photos courtesy of Tom Hartley Jnr
