Sand Hill Road 11
A large black truck delivered the McLaren F1 to Elon’s
home. He was now famous in Silicon Valley, so a film
crew behind the documentarySilicon Valley Gold Rush
followed each step. Like a boy before Christmas, Elon
jumped around the truck while the car was unloaded. The
first person who walked by said, “Is that a McLaren F1? Oh
my God. That’s unbelievable.” Elon was happy. “Wow, I
can’t believe it’s actually here,” he said. “That’s pretty wild
man. Just three years ago, I was showering at the YMCA
and sleeping on the office floor, and now I got a million
dollar car.”^27
Enthusiasts described the McLaren F1 as the purest
super car ever manufactured. This may sometimes be a
drawback with owning one because enthusiasts chase them
like a paparazzi chasing a movie star. “I lined up next to
one at a light in Palo Alto a few months ago,” a proud
enthusiast said. “I think it was the one that belongs to the
X.com/PayPal founder guy [Elon Musk]. Made my day.”^9
Seeing the car in Silicon Valley wasn’t anything un-
usual. The region has the largest density of McLaren F
in the world. “I’m more excited about seeing this car than
I have ever been about anything else,” another enthusiast
said. “Nothing else compares at all. As he [Elon Musk]
braked for the 90-degree right to get on the freeway, the
rear diffuser popped up exposing its gold foil covered
underside. That sent a chill up my spine – go ahead – laugh
all you want. When he decided he’d had enough of me
tagging along beside him he practically disappeared down
the FWY. Considering he’s got about five times the power