The McLaren F1 became the first production road car with a carbon-fiber monocoque when it launched in 1992.
Designed by Gordon Murray and built by McLaren Cars, the F1 used a lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer central structure. Carbon fiber had already been used in racing, but applying it to a road-going production car required careful attention to crash protection, manufacturing consistency, passenger comfort, and cost.
The F1’s central driving position, three-seat layout, naturally aspirated V12 engine, and extensive use of lightweight materials made it technologically exceptional. Its carbon-fiber structure contributed to low mass and high rigidity.
The car is sometimes confused with later hypercars that used carbon-fiber tubs more widely. The McLaren F1’s distinction is its pioneering production-road-car monocoque, not simply the presence of carbon-fiber body panels.