NPR : News

Filed Under:

Mr. Bean's Supercar Crash Racks Up $1.4 Million Repair Bill

By: Mark Memmott // February 7, 2013
comments

Rowan Atkinson, the British comedian who's probably best known to Americans as Mr. Bean, is in the record books for something that's not all that funny.

According to reports from The Scotsman and other news outlets in the U.K., Atkinson's insurers paid 910,000 British pounds (about $1.4 million) to repair the McLaren F1 supercar that he wrecked in 2011. That's a U.K. record, newspapers say.

The bill is about 42 percent more than the 640,000 pounds Atkinson paid for the car in 1997, the Scotsman says. The reason the car is worth fixing: its value has soared. One "immaculate model" sold for 3.5 million pounds ($5.5 million) last year, adds the Scotsman.

Atkinson was not seriously injured in the crash. Don't assume, by the way, that he drives like his Mr. Bean character would. As fans of Top Gear will tell you, he's long been near or atop the show's ranking of celebrities who drive a "reasonably priced car" around a test track. He's nuts about cars, as was clear when he sat down with Top Gear.

Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Arts & Culture

NPR

'Arrested Development' Leads The Charge For Old Brands In New Media

Brands that found their original audiences in traditional, old-media platforms are finding ways to keep going in the world of new media.

Food

NPR

Nutrition Group Says Chocolate Milk Is OK, No Need For Aspartame

The nation's largest group of nutritionists is urging the FDA to reject the dairy industry's petition to change the definition of milk. The petition aims to allow aspartame or other alternatives to be used to sweeten milk in an effort to boost consumption in schools.

Politics

NPR

Eric Garcetti Wins L.A. Mayor's Race

In a non-partisan race in which two Democrats were the top contenders, the city councilman has edged out City Controller Wendy Greuel.

Technology

NPR

'Arrested Development' Leads The Charge For Old Brands In New Media

Brands that found their original audiences in traditional, old-media platforms are finding ways to keep going in the world of new media.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.