The McLaren X-1 supercar, built by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), was on show at The Quail on 17 August 2012 at the Pebble Beach weekend in Monterey USA. The X-1 is a one-off supercar built especially for an anonymous client who wanted a car that was timeless with classical elegance.

The entire project lasted for about three years and inspiration was drawn from cars such as the 1961 Facel Vega, 1953 Chrysler D’Elegance Ghia, 1959 Buick Electra, 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K and a 1971 Citroën SM. The client requested a design competition be held with external designers and McLaren designers to determine the most appropriate design. A Korean-born McLaren RCA graduate named Hong Yeo was chosen to fulfil the task. The only styling feature prescribed by the client was metal brightwork rails running from the nose to the rear of the car. The design took 18 months to sign off.

The X-1 features McLarens groundbreaking Carbon MonoCell, the same technology used for the McLaren MP4-12C and all the parts on the X-1 were made specifically for the car, including the lights and wheels. All the body panels are made from carbon and finished in rich piano black. The brightwork was machined from solid aluminium and finished in nickel, along with the McLaren logo and the McLaren Airbrake rear wing.

The interior is adorned in Harissa Red McLaren Nappa Leather for the seats, doors, roof trim and switchgear with machined nickel-coated, aluminium bezels. The carbon interior trim has titanium weave with a 3-D effect and special Andesite tufted carpets line the floor.

The X-1 shares the same major mechanical components as the McLaren MP4-12C, including the twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 engine that produces 441kW and 600Nm of torque. The X-1 is fully usable and road legal.