McLaren MP4/5
McLaren's first Honda V10 car, which carried Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna to first and second in the bitter 1989 championship.
- Power
- 675 bhp
About the McLaren MP4/5
With turbos banned for 1989, Neil Oatley's team built the MP4/5 around Honda's new 3.5-litre RA109E V10, rated at around 675 bhp, in a carbon fibre and Kevlar monocoque. It was fast and reliable from the start, taking 15 poles, 13 of them for Ayrton Senna, and ten wins, six for Senna and four for Alain Prost. The longitudinal gearbox inherited from the MP4/4 was replaced by a transverse unit from the British Grand Prix. The team-mates' rivalry came to a head at Suzuka, where they collided at the chicane and Senna was disqualified after rejoining to win, giving Prost his third title as McLaren took a second straight Constructors' Championship.
McLaren MP4/5 specs
The McLaren MP4/5 produces 675 bhp (503 kW).
| Make | McLaren |
|---|---|
| Model | MP4/5 |
| Years | 1989 |
| Type | Race car |
| Body style | Open-wheel single-seater |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Engine | 3.5L naturally aspirated V10 (Honda RA109E) |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 3,500 cc (3.5 litres) |
| Induction | Naturally aspirated |
| Power | 675 bhp (503 kW) at 13,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive |
Typical figures for the standard car; options, markets and model years vary. Where our specs come from
McLaren MP4/5 rarity in CarSpot
The McLaren MP4/5 is a Unicorn card in CarSpot, with a rarity score of 42 out of 100. The rarest tier: hypercars, one-offs and cars built in tiny numbers, typically fewer than about 500. A Unicorn card is worth 320 XP.
Each model's tier starts from a 0–100 score based on its value plus its power or production numbers. Once enough players have spotted a model, how often it is spotted can move it up or down one tier. How CarSpot rarity works
Rarity is a collectible game mechanic, not an assessment of real-world scarcity or value.
McLaren MP4/5 fun facts
- At the Mexican Grand Prix Senna took his 34th career pole in the MP4/5, breaking the record of 33 that Jim Clark had held since 1968.
- Honda supplied McLaren with eight engines at every Grand Prix.
- Prost had his engine tuned to run a richer fuel mixture than Senna's because he felt it suited his driving style.
