McLaren is deeply connected to its legacy, as evidenced by the celebration of the iconic McLaren F1, which recently marked its 25th anniversary. The company continues to provide parts and services for this remarkable vehicle even today. Excitingly, this level of customer service has now come to North America with the recent announcement of the first McLaren F1 service center in the United States.
Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McLaren Philadelphia will operate this new service facility. For privacy reasons, the center is situated away from the showroom and includes a complete test track, specialized F1 tools, and a warehouse stocked with spare parts.
Despite McLaren’s significant presence in the U.S., no current dealership is equipped to service McLaren F1 vehicles. Tony Joseph, president of McLaren North America, elaborated on the meticulous nature of F1 maintenance, stating that technicians need ample time to carefully inspect every component. Servicing an F1 requires thorough annual checks, which are followed up by rigorous testing on the track, and sourcing replacement parts can be challenging.
The technicians at the Pennsylvania service center are fully trained by McLaren Special Operations, allowing them to carry out everything from routine maintenance to comprehensive restorations and repairs. The facility is modeled after McLaren’s headquarters in Woking, Surrey, ensuring that customers won’t have to ship their F1s across the Atlantic for servicing.
In the United States, about 20 McLaren F1s (from a total production run of 106) currently exist, and this Philadelphia center is the only location where affluent owners can have their vehicles serviced. However, McLaren has indicated plans to establish a second service center on the West Coast in the near future..
