British comedian Rowan Atkinson, the man who plays the bungling, yet beloved character, Mr. Bean, recently sold off his adored McLaren F1 for a little over $12 million via specialist car dealer Taylor & Crawley. With only 72 models of the car in existence, the lone burgundy variant to be found in the possession of Mr. Atkinson since 1997, the McLaren F1possesses a 6.1 litre V12 engine delivering a top speed of 240 mph.
The car is reported to have survived not one but two crashes in the recent years; one in 1999 when Rowan Atkinson drove into the back of a Rover Metro, causing damage to the car’s bonnet and then again in 2011, when the car crashed into a tree and then a road sign before bursting into flames near Cambridgeshire. Though Rowan Atkinson escaped with an injured shoulder, the car had to undergo major repairs, costing a total of £910,000, according to insurance company records.
Still, the car did manage to fetch a good price, thanks to the rarity of the model as well as its celebrity value. The car is reported to have been purchased by another car enthusiast from Britain who has expressed his intentions to drive it as frequently as Mr. Atkinson did.