Not every designer or engineer has the chance to build the ultimate sports car with absolutly no expense spared. A former cheif Formula 1 designer at Brabham, then at Working-based McLaren, Gordon Murray had the burning unfulfilled passion to build a machine that qualified as the fastest, most involving road car yet made - and of coursw the most expensive. Ideas at McLaren began crystalizing during 1988, and in March 1989 Murray announced his plans to the public. Murray was in charge of the design and development, while Lotus stylist Peter Stevens would pen the car's shape, and BMW's Motorsport division had agreed to design and-all new V-twelve engine from scratch. Everything revolved around Murray's ideal precepts such as the innovated three-seater cabin with the driver sitting in the middle ahead of the two passengers.