Pebble Beach: Wacky McLaren X-1 concept

The day after it staged the world debut of its 2013 MP4-12C Spider at the Gooding & Co auction in California, McLaren Automotive shocked onlookers at The Quail, an exclusive highlight of the Pebble Beach automotive weekend in Monterey, by unveiling this one-of-a-kind concept based on the MP4-12C supercar.

Dubbed X-1, the figment of an anonymous McLaren fan’s imagination was shown in public for the first and last time at Pebble Beach, where the bespoke McLaren Special Operations division was launched in August last year.

McLaren said the X1, which took three years to develop, is the result of a conversation between company chief Ron Dennis and a mystery enthusiast who owns a McLaren F1, McLaren-Mercedes SLR and a 12C.

Based on the same MonoCell carbon-fibre chassis as the 12C coupe and convertible and powered by the same twin-turbo V8, the X-1 features a completely new body designed said to be inspired by the Citroen SM, architecture from the Guggenheim museum, a grand piano and even an eggplant.

Apart from its unique, all-carbon body — which McLaren says exudes “timeless and classical elegance” but drew a mixed reaction at Pebble Beach — the X-1 features a number of exclusive components including wheels and headlights, plus pop-up rear wings positioned above the rear wheels.

The X-1’s chrome highlights, McLaren logo and rear airbrake are in fact milled from solid aluminium and then nickel-plated, while the fully customised interior features red leather seat trim and extensive carbon-fibre highlights.

McLaren says the only carryover parts from the 12C are its glasshouse and, although the carbon body is 109mm longer at 4658mm and 188mm wider at 2097mm, kerb weight remains similar to the donor car’s 1400kg.

As well as high-speed and track durability testing, the X-1 required full road certification for the UK and its aerodynamics were wind tunnel-tested, as part of the McLaren Special Operations brief to provide “the ultimate personalisation service”.

MSO is charged with satisfying McLaren’s growing customer demand for personalisation, including everything from unique seat trim stitching to an entirely bespoke vehicle such as the X-1, but stresses that mechanical upgrades are also part of its brief.

McLaren says the level of customisation requests from 12C buyers has grown from 10 to 15 per cent and is expected to increase to 20 per cent by year’s end.

“We can realise almost anything,” said MSO Program Director, Paul Mackenzie. “The only limit is the size of the customer’s imagination. There is a major trend to individualise premium cars, and we expect the demand to continue to rise.”

McLaren said the X-1 will be shipped back to MSO headquarters in Woking after the Pebble Beach extravaganza, before being “carefully checked over” then handed to its owner.

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