Hamilton and Button McLarens Lead Villa d’Este Supercar Auction
On 24–25 May 2025, Broad Arrow, a Hagerty company, stages its first Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction, where two McLaren MP4-12C supercars with impeccable provenance will headline the catalogue. The cars once served Sir Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, ensuring this McLaren MP4-12C auction commands attention from collectors and Formula One fans alike.
McLaren unveiled the MP4-12C in 2010, reigniting the British marque’s supercar credentials after the famed F1. Hamilton and Button directly shaped the project; Hamilton called for a slimmer steering wheel and sharper paddle-shifters to echo his Grand Prix cockpit. Ron Dennis rewarded both champions by gifting personalised MP4-12Cs, and Broad Arrow now offers those very examples at Villa d’Este.
“Broad Arrow is extremely proud to have been entrusted to find new owners for these remarkably special McLaren supercars that Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button owned,” states Joe Twyman, VP Sales, EMEA. “These two McLaren MP4-12C models have a very special place in motoring history. The two F1 World Champions provided invaluable expertise in the development of the MP4-12C that would not only compete in the market with Ferrari and Lamborghini but would define the future of McLaren Automotive and the models it has produced since.”
Hamilton’s left-hand-drive MP4-12C, chassis SBM11AAB4CW000132, was registered on 1 March 2012, initially delivered to Switzerland and soon re-routed to Monaco, where the seven-time champion used it regularly, even driving to Cannes for a Swizz Beatz video shoot. Finished in Volcano Red over Harissa Red leather and Black Alcantara, the car shows 8,500 kilometres. Carbon-fibre front spoiler, rear diffuser and mirror caps join the Stealth Pack, satin dark grey five-spoke wheels, tinted windows and the early swipe-door system, all chosen by Hamilton himself and adding to the car’s exclusivity.
This uniquely specified MP4-12C grants its following custodian a tangible piece of Hamilton’s career while marking McLaren’s triumphant return to series-production supercars.
Designer Frank Stephenson endowed the MP4-12c with aerodynamic and engineering prowess that rivalled Italian contemporaries. A 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 592 bhp, while Formula One-inspired technology delivers poise that perfectly suits a world champion’s demands.
Button’s right-hand-drive MP4-12C, chassis SBM11AAB4CW000764, presents Elite Pearl White paint over a Harissa Red and Black leather cabin with carbon-fibre interior trim and steering wheel. After McLaren repurposed his first development car, the 2009 champion selected this second example through McLaren Monaco. Sold to a British private collection in 2012, it has logged fewer than 12,000 kilometres under diligent dealer maintenance.
Together, these McLaren MP4-12C supercars embody the marque’s pioneering spirit and carry irreplaceable provenance from two of Formula One’s most celebrated drivers.
“This is a scarce opportunity to own the personal McLaren MP4-12C supercars of Sir Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button,” adds Twyman. “Created to the specification of each of these F1 World Champions, these two cars feature incredible provenance that spans both the motoring and motorsport worlds.”
Bidding next month at Villa d’Este promises a contest worthy of the chequered flag, with Hamilton’s MP4-12C guided at €175,000–€225,000 and Button’s at €125,000–€150,000, the latter offered without reserve. Collectors now have the chance to secure a pair of modern McLaren icons directly from the hands of world champions.
