Rowan Atkinson enjoys McLaren F1 windfall

The unassuming and hapless Mr. Bean always amused us with his Austin Mini antics, but in real life the comic actor doesn't fool around when it comes to the cars he cherishes.

Rowan Atkinson acquired his prized McLaren F1 back in 1997 for around £540,000 but recently decided the time had come to part with the precious supercar after it had become "a thing of value". He subsequently put it on the market for £8million with specialist car dealer Taylor and Crawley. The car has now been sold to a British buyer for an undisclosed amount.

The McLaren F1, which is powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine, ranks amongst the most collectable sports cars in the world. In spite of the car's incredible worth and significance, as a collector and car buff Rowan Atkinson was never one to drive it sporadically, using the elite machinery daily and manhandling it on country roads to the point that the McLaren was even crashed twice.

His last mishap was in 2011 when he crashed into a hedge in Oxfordshire, a slight contretemps which cost his insurance company a whopping £910,000 repair bill ! Perhaps the ultimate Mr. Bean fail...