I see a lot of cars, but this one was a big deal for me. McLaren started selling the F1 road car in 1992, and only 106 of them were ever created. It’s been my white whale; I’ve been trying to find one for over a decade. This was the year I finally saw one in person.

Before I ever had a license, I would spend hours driving a McLaren F1 in Need For Speed II. It is still considered to be the ultimate super car by many people even though it has been out of production for decades. It is no longer the fastest production car, but it is still incredibly fast, and provides a driving experience unlike anything else.

McLaren Motor Racing was founded in 1963, and by the ‘90s had considerable success in Formula One. To celebrate that success, they decided to make the ultimate production car. It would be McLaren’s first car for the street, but it would change everything about what we thought was possible for a road car.

Every part of the car was designed to save as much weight as possible. It also used every tool possible to make it a focused driver’s car. A high-revving V12 from BMW, a Nardi steering wheel mounted in the center, and a carbon fiber monocoque chassis were just a few of the steps they took to reach that goal.

I’ve been a fan of this car for a long time, but only 106 were ever made. They cost a million dollars when they were new; and go for a lot more today. I’d seen hundreds of super cars over the years, but had never seen a McLaren F1.

This year, I finally caught my white whale. A post from @peloton25 (a must follow for anyone passionate about cars) let me know about an opportunity to see chassis #001 outside of Chicago. McLaren Chicago convinced the owner of the car to display it at the North Suburbs Cars & Coffee at Big Door Garage Suites in Mundelein. After years, and a few near misses, I finally got to see an F1 in person.

The 17 inch wheels and lack of a giant spoiler almost look quaint today, but this car is still a monster. This car still holds the record for top speed for a naturally aspirated production car. It’s somehow understated and over the top at the same time. I was limited in time (and space), but I was so happy to finally get some pictures of a McLaren F1. I’m hoping to see some other rare cars next year, but this one will be hard to top.