The X-1 is a car that seems familiar to those who watched Top Gear in the late 00s, but I assure you that you’re thinking of its brother-from-another-mother, the Prodrive P2. While both are based on rally car powertrains, both weigh less than 2450 lbs dry, and both are made by British outfits, the X-1 has one major difference. The X-1 was proposed as an actual production vehicle as opposed to a technological showcase like the P2. This means the X-1 was more of a test mule rather than the one-off running concept.

The project started out with the underpinnings from an Evo VI, accompanied by the famed 4G63 with a tune bringing the output up to 380hp. Then the “vacuum infused carbon composite monocoque”, aluminium/carbon subframes, and fiberglass body panels were created around the drivetrain, concluding in a reduction of around 400 lbs compared to a standard Evo VI. The prototype was designed by Andrew Borrowman and Sean Prendergast, who, between the two, have experience at Rover, Panther Cars, and Grand Prix Engineering Services. The Active Yaw Control found in the Evo was replaced with a Cusco LSD, a call made by renowned former Ralliart Technical Director and WRC Team Manager Toney Cox, who was involved with road testing.

A 2200 lb, 500 hp “Competition” version was planned to enter production, but further development of the project was stopped in its tracks when the company moved to “smaller premises”. If actually produced, the X-1 would be a ~£45,000 track weapon that would lap the Silverstone circuit in the same lap time as a Ferrari 430 Challenge. Just be sure not to break your plastic clutch master cylinder while doing so.

The last time this car was seen was at Xtreme UK (sister company to X Works), where they were selling the prototype and molds along with technical advice to produce more examples for £24,995, an absolute steal.