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If you've ever fancied taking a look around the McLaren Technology Centre you can now take a tour without having to leave home, thanks to Google Streetview. As part of the company's 50th anniversary celebrations cameras were invited into part of the Foster + Partners-designed headquarters.

Google's cameras captured the spotless glass and marble interior as well as the view across the lake. A selection of significant vehicles from Bruce McLaren's first racing Austin 7 to the latest F1 cars is on display too. In addition, the McLaren-engineered bicycle, ridden by Mark Cavendish to victory in the 2011 Tour de France, is on show and visitors can take a virtual walk past the cabinets full of racing trophies.

Martin Whitmarsh, CEO of McLaren Group, said: "The McLaren Technology Centre is widely considered to be an architectural icon. Of course, it's also so much more: It is the beating heart of a technology, motorsport and automotive group which this year celebrated its 50th anniversary.

"To mark this milestone, and reward our many loyal fans, we're pleased to be able to open our doors to the public, with the help of Google. While we sadly can't allow everyone to visit in person, working with Google lets our fans tour our legendary cars and have a good look around.

"I hope people are as inspired as I was when I saw the MTC for the first time."

Anything else?

The McLaren Technology Centre was opened in 2004 by Her Majesty the Queen. It includes a showroom, offices, wind tunnel and staff restaurant on its 50-hectare site. It is one of a number of normally inaccessible locations including the White House, the laboratories at CERN and the Great Barrier Reef to appear on Google Street View. To take a look, go to http://goo.gl/maps/uK4U1.

John Lambert - 27 Nov 2013