Rowan Atkinson is quite the interesting fellow. A mainly comedic actor who made his name playing characters like Black Adder and Mr. Bean, the genial man has spent much of his spare time and wealth indulging in his real passion of cars. While he has owned dozens of machines over the years from exotic names like Ferrari->ke252 and Aston Martin,->ke13 one of his most prized automotive possessions is his McLaren F1.->ke1159 It has been one of his main daily drivers over the years and he has amassed a relatively astronomical 40,000 miles on the clock.

During that time, it has seen countless motorway journeys, many school runs and even a few days at the track. It has also seen the wrong end of an insurance adjuster twice. The first time Atkinson merely wrinkled it a bit, but his second crash nearly tore the car completely in half. Now after 17 years of ownership, -- the longest tenure of any car he has owned -- Mr. Bean has decided it is time to sell his beloved supercar.->ke177

If you are unfamiliar with the F1, you must be on the wrong Website for starters, but allow me to freshen your memory. This was an ultralight, ultrafast carbon-fiber supercar created by McLaren->ke284 and it redefined the automobile. Powered by a BMW-->ke178sourced, V-12 engine that produced 627 horsepower, the F1 was capable of reaching 240 mph, making it the fastest production car in the world. A title it held for more than a decade until the Bugatti Veyron->ke1112 arrived. The car had many technical quirks over others on the market like its three-person seating with the driver mounted center, and the passengers slightly rearward and to each side. It also had an engine bay lined with gold foil, because gold is the best conductor of heat.

Sadly, Rowan Atkinson has finally decided it is time to part with his machine, so in just a few weeks’ time, this incredible supercar -- one of only 107 ever built -- will have a new owner. That said, if you were hoping the high mileage and multiple collisions would make this thing a bargain, you better think again. As it stands, the car is being offered for no less than $12 million.

Click past the jump to read more about the Rowan Atkinson's McLaren F1.

Why it matters

The McLaren F1 is one of the all-time great supercars that joins an elite list of machines that truly changed the world upon its arrival. It used exotic materials like carbon fiber, gold, and titanium to create and ultralight supercar that handily eclipsed the speed of any other production car to that point. With a limited build quantity of just over 100 units, and a large portion of cars sold as race-modified versions, the chance to find one of these for sale is very slim. A rapidly increasing value, coupled with the pedigree of claiming Rowan Atkinson as a previous owner, this F1 is a great investment piece that has the potential to be worth many more millions in only a few years.

McLaren F1

The McLaren F1 was the world’s fastest car for more than a decade after its release. This three-seat supercar was created almost purely from carbon fiber, with a focus on maintaining the lowest weight possible. It has no stereo, no power steering, and no power brakes, all in the name of cutting pounds.

The car comes powered by a 6.1-liter, V-12 engine that was created by BMW and produced almost 630 horsepower. Top speed was a mind blowing 240 mph. Despite several years of production only 107 of these cars were ever made, with almost half of those being racing versions. Standard road-going models, like the one Rowan Atkinson is selling, account for only 64 units.