McLaren Special Operations

All posts in “McLaren Special Operations”

One-off McLaren 765LT

Buying a McLaren sports car is the dream of many aspiring car enthusiasts, a dream that comes true for some, but there are still clients out there that won’t settle for a factory original car with some standard options, even if you’re talking about a McLaren 765LT, which in itself is already a limited edition model and the final chapter in the ‘Longtail’ story for McLaren, with 755 bhp from the 4.0-Liter twin-turbocharged V8 M840T engine, this is McLaren’s most powerful model to date.

With only 765 units, each with an MSRP of $358,000 before options, the McLaren 765LT is already sold-out when you read this, by the summer of 2021 all of the cars will have been delivered to their lucky, and usually fortunate owners, as McLaren states over 25% of the production for this model was ordered with major personalization from MSO, the McLaren Special Operations department, and rest assured, this will raise the original $358,000 list price considerably, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these high-spec McLaren 765LT would come at a price well over $500,000.

And the one we are presenting here might be among those ‘half a million dollar’ units, this car is a showcase of what MSO can create for the more discerning client, with a color-shifting paint called MSO Cerberus Pearl that shows hues of blue, purple, gold, and orange depending on the angle of view and the light … a truly amazing looking paint for sure that has previously been seen on the McLaren Senna and the McLaren P1.

The McLaren 765LT is about 80 kg lighter than the 720S, and this has been achieved by using a lot of carbon fiber parts, and to emphasize the lightweight design of this LT, the customer of this MSO custom opted to have all the visible carbon fiber on his car finished in high gloss, this includes the front splitter, the rear bumper, the side skirts, as well as the mirror housings and the large air intakes.

This specific McLaren 765LT was also ordered with the extremely expensive, functional roof scoop, naturally also finished in clear carbon fiber, while the car rolls on glossy black, 10-spoke ultra-light wheels covering orange brake calipers that match the interior trim inside this one-off 765LT.

On the inside, the carbon fiber craze continues, but this time with a satin finish to avoid glare when driving in bright sunlight, while the door panels, speaker rings, and seatbelts come in bespoke McLaren Orange as a reminder of McLaren’s racing legacy, the 765LT is part of the Longtail story that started with the McLaren F1 GTR race car in the 1990s, this 765LT also comes with the MSO titanium harness bar behind the seats and track-inspired six-point harness for the driver and passenger.

The future of McLaren and sports and hypercars, in general, is full electrification, Lamborghini has recently released a statement that in a matter of two or three years all their models will be hybrids, and after 2025 we will even see an all-electric Raging Bull, McLaren has already taken that route with their new Artura, the first McLaren to use the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) to spearhead the brand’s electrified future.

June 4, 2021 / Comments Off

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The ghoulish McLaren 600LT Spider by MSO lurks in the night

McLaren will use anything as an excuse to show off the customization prowess of its McLaren Special Operations (MSO) division. In the past, it has released bespoke cars to celebrate Le Mans, fashion designers, various historic racing achievements and Canada. With its recent creation, McLaren is using the 2019 Geneva Motor Show to display what a 600LT Spider could look like with a few special touches.

According to McLaren, about half of all 600LT Coupe buyers use MSO in some form or another, so it assumed fans and customers would like to see similar treatment on the open-top Spider version. McLaren has shown MSO projects regularly at Geneva, and with overall demand and production ramping up, it wasn’t about to stop in 2019.

This show car is meant to be somewhat of an ode to the 600LT’s predecessor, the 675LT, and uses Napier Green as the accent color, an original paint from the 675LT. The main body color is called Dove Grey and gives the car an under-the-radar smoky look.

To apply the Napier Green — which outlines several aero pieces, appears on the brake calipers, and stripes across the side of the body — McLaren used a method previously only done on race cars. As it did with the 720S GT3 and 570S GT4, McLaren applied the paint by compressing it into a “light and flexible film.”

No supercar is complete these days without splashes of carbon fiber, and the MSO 600LT adheres to the trend. The exposed carbon fiber aero kit and the door scoops were given a satin finish to contrast the gloss black wheels.

The interior has several optional features, as well. It has carbon fiber racing seats that were first developed for the McLaren Senna, with 600LT embroidered into the headrests. It also features an Alcantara headliner and steering wheel, as well as green contrasting elements all over the place. More carbon fiber was applied to the door inserts, the tunnel sides, the gear select housing and the infotainment surround.

The 600LT by MSO is not one of McLaren’s most outrageous works, nor does it have a specific theme for its debut, but it will surely draw plenty of attention in Geneva. Since driving one, we’ve spent most of our time daydreaming about what it’d be like to craft our own.

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February 23, 2019 / Comments Off

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McLaren displays six bespoke 570S models with historic themes

McLaren Beverly Hills has commissioned a special collection of 570S models, both in Coupe and Spider configuration, to commemorate McLaren’s racing history. The collection, named Racing Through the Ages, features six cars done up in three themes: Muriwai, Papaya Spark and Sarthe Grey, all neatly tying in with specific periods in McLaren racing, and all with the GT4 racing stripe decorating the exteriors.

The first of the car themes, Muriwai, stands for Muriwai Beach in New Zealand, the place where Bruce McLaren first took part in a race at the age of 15. McLaren also built a house with the same name in Woking, and the color theme is similarly bluish white, with the car wearing MSO Defined Muriwai White paint and a McLaren orange “Speedy Kiwi” logo.

The second, Papaya Spark, is done in a color reminiscent of McLaren’s 1960s-1970s racing livery, from the time McLaren claimed Can-Am, Indy 500 and Formula One wins. The car’s fixed rear wing is painted Burton Blue, in the style of the original racers.

As for the third one, Sarthe Grey, it’s easy to guess the Le Mans reference: these cars commemorate McLaren’s 1995 win with F1 GTR cars claiming first, third, fourth, fifth and thirteenth place. The hue of the two Sarthe Grey cars here imitates the paint color on the winning F1 GTR, and the rear wing reads “24 HEURES DU MANS – WINNERS 1995”.

Each of the six cars wears a numbered plate with the text “1 of 6 – Racing Through the Ages”, and the interiors – right down to ignition keys – are matched to the respective theme. “It’s exciting for us at MSO any time we are able to merge McLaren’s racing heritage with current McLaren Automotive road cars,” said Ansar Ali, the Managing Director of McLaren Special Operations.

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December 12, 2018 / Comments Off

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Like dragons? The 2018 McLaren 570GT Cabbeen Collection is for you!

McLaren must be doing good business with its McLaren Special Operations (MSO) special edition supercars because it has just released another, and like with the Canada Commission, this one takes its inspiration from a specific country, namely China. It’s called the 2018 McLaren 570GT Cabbeen Collection, and was developed in conjunction with a Chinese fashion designer simply referred to as Mr. Cabbeen. We suspect that it received the name “collection” because of the connection to fashion, despite the special edition being just one model.

The 570GT Cabbeen Collection is instantly recognizable by its black paint scheme with gold wheels, gold brake calipers and gold dragons painted in the intake scallops. It does revive memories of the garish Jeep Wrangler Dragon Edition, but the McLaren is admittedly much more tasteful. It also boasts some fine craftsmanship, since the dragons are hand painted.

Inside, the theme continues with gold dragons embroidered into the center tunnel and the cargo area. They are done in an embroidery style specific to China known as Chao, and they were put in by the Director of the Professional Embroidery Committee of China’s Arts and Crafts Institute (now that’s a job – Ed.). This is all a far cry from cheap stickers and color-coordinated stitching.

Unlike the McLaren 570S Spider Canada Commission, the 570GT Cabbeen Collection will be available globally. But if you want one, speak up quickly, because only five will be built. Pricing was not revealed, but expect something well into the six figures.

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April 25, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren’s MSO makes this 720S supercar even more super

McLaren has brought a special edition of its already stunning and supremely quick 720S supercar to this year’s Geneva Motor Show. Designed by McLaren Special Operations, this one-of-a-kind creation is finished in “Atlantic Blue” paint and comes with a tastefully understated “Saddle Tan” leather interior with contrasting grey stitching.

To drive the point home that this car is unique, McLaren’s press release offers the gentle reminder that “even the floor mats are bespoke.” So, don’t expect to find suitably stylish replacements at your local NAPA auto parts store, ladies and gentlemen.

McLaren’s MSO branch is basically the British automaker’s tailor-made service for its range of performance cars. Oftentimes the creations are true one-offs, entirely commissioned by well-heeled clientele who want their car to stand out from the masses. Not that McLaren creations are exactly clogging up parking lots, but, hey, if you have it then why not flaunt it?

MSO does occasionally build a limited series of vehicles, like the 10 race-inspired 570S sports cars finished in paint jobs similar to the liveries of McLaren F1 GTR race cars from the 1990s.

If you have to ask the price, well, then you probably shouldn’t be shopping for customized McLarens.
The standard McLaren 720S starts at approximately $288,000, putting it right in the middle of the company’s lineup. Considering the owner of the Geneva Motor Show car didn’t specify gold-flake fenders, or an interior constructed out of platinum-plated Lego blocks, it’s safe to assume this car doesn’t streak too ridiculously far into the fiscal stratosphere.

Engine power remains the same. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 nestled in the carbon fiber chassis produces 710 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. Punch the gas pedal, and the 720S needs less than 3.0 seconds to sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour. The top speed is 212 mph.

And did we mention how incredibly fast all this feels in real life? In our review of this ballistic British supercar, Mike Austin summed up just how rapid your first impression will be. “The 720S is so fast that there’s no warming up to it. Almost immediately you’re driving at speeds that, in pretty much any other car would mean imminent calamity.”

He also praised the fact that getting the most out of the 720S demands attention and skill, not just a heavy right foot. “In our world of point-and-shoot supercars,” he summarized, “McLaren made the 720S a true driver’s car.”

So the car is special. And the one at Geneva? Just a little more special.

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March 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren Senna Carbon Theme, ‘surprise announcement’ at Geneva

McLaren will bring its hardcore, 789-horsepower Senna road car to the Geneva Motor Show, and all 500 examples are already spoken for. One of the five themes, a bespoke version created by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), is the “Carbon Theme” Senna. As one would expect, it’s covered in carbon fiber, and the interior echoes the theme with Carbon Black Alcantara trim.

The car’s body is covered in 67 Visual Carbon Fiber parts, which took almost 1,000 hours to produce. The glossy black weave is accentuated with Solar Yellow and Laurel Green detailing, as a nod to F1 Legend Ayrton Senna’s helmet livery and home country of Brazil. McLaren says the Carbon Theme adds almost £300,000 (about $415,000) to the Senna’s £750,000 (nearly $1.04 million) price tag.

McLaren says it will also offer the ultra-lightweight MSO 7-Spoke Hybrid Carbon Fiber wheels as an option to Senna customers. These center-lock wheels feature a forged aluminum and carbon fiber construction, reducing weight by 10 percent and rolling inertia by 10 to 15 percent compared to the standard wheels. This translates to better acceleration, braking and steering response.

“The McLaren Senna customers in the process of specifying their own, personalized cars are almost without exception commissioning an elevated level of MSO content,” said McLaren Special Operations Managing Director Ansar Ali, “so we are definitely appealing to our target audience. With the car having generated so much interest since its unveiling in December, we knew we needed to produce something very special in order to showcase the unique talents of McLaren Special Operations.“

In its press release introducing the Carbon Black Senna, McLaren also hinted at something special at the Geneva Motor Show. Tucked at the very end of the text, McLaren says that in addition to introducing the Senna, the company will make some sort of “surprise announcement.” Speculate away.

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February 28, 2018 / Comments Off

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OFFICIAL: McLaren Special Operations Shows X-1 Supercar At Pebble Beach

McLaren’s Special Operations (MSO) program has come up with something extra special to show at this years Pebble Beach. MSO will unveil the McLaren X-1 in an exclusive event held at the Quail Lodge today.

It may be billed as a one-off-supercar, but the X-1 is so much more than a concept and it’s rumored that may be hinting at elements of the upcoming ‘P12’ F1 successor.

The X-1 was brought into fruition some three years ago for an unnamed buyer, before the MP4-12C was launched. Said unnamed buyer requested a car with the capabilities of the MP4-12C, but with a unique body reflecting the buyer’s style and personality – specifying a “timeless and classically elegant” design inspired by the likes of the 1961 Facel Vega, the 1959 Buick Electra, the 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K and the 1971 Citroen SM.

Designers spent months creating sketches before clay models were approved and 18 months later the process was completed.

The result was a rear drive automobile, with benefits from the MP4-12Cs mid-engine, rear drive layout for improved handling.

Specs:
Carbon fiber body panels
Piano black finish
Natural carbon fiber body sides – oversprayed with lacquer for a unique finish.
Headlights and taillights inspired by the McLaren Speed Marque logo
Brightwork made of machined aluminum – nickel-plated for durability and consistency in appearance
Enclosed rear wheels via carbon fiber panels
Interior is based on the MP4-12C
McLaren Red Nappa leather
Nickel-plated switchgear
Carbon fiber trim – incorporates a titanium weave for added dimensionality
3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 rated at 617 horsepower

Acceleration and top speed have not been released yet.

Following its Pebble Beach debut, the X-1 will be returned to MSO for final pre-delivery inspection and then delivered into the hands of its new owner.

August 17, 2012 / Comments Off

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