McLaren Special Operations, the personalisation division of McLaren Automotive, has crafted four exclusive special-edition models of the McLaren GT, tailored specifically for the UK market. What sets these models apart are not only their limited production but also the distinct exterior colours and interior materials chosen for each.
In a nod to McLaren’s illustrious past, the chosen exterior colours for these special GT models have a rich heritage. Cerulean Blue, originally associated with the hypercar P1, harkens back to one of McLaren’s most iconic and groundbreaking models. XP Green, a colour linked to a prototype F1 road car, pays homage to the legendary McLaren F1. Sarigan Quartz, inspired by the Speedtail XP2, connects to McLaren’s cutting-edge technology and futuristic design.
Lastly, Cyber Yellow, a new shade created with inspiration from the existing Volcano Yellow, showcases McLaren’s innovative approach by infusing a silver-and-white sparkle effect into the pearlescent coat.
In 2018, McLaren announced that it would add a Senna model to its Ultimate Series, joining the F1 and the P1. The name was of course that of the Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna, one of Formula 1’s greatest drivers who tragically died in an accident on the track at the age of 34. The car was to honour and pay tribute to his many victories with the McLaren Formula One Team between 1988 and 1993 Formula 1 seasons.
Only 500 units of the Senna will be in existence, and every single unit was taken even before production began. Among the 500 were a very small number of XP cars which are traditionally the factory experimental prototypes and initial test cars. These are rebuilt to individual customer specifications after the model program is completed.
McLaren Beverly Hills, a dealership in the famous district in California, acquired four XP units on behalf of customers. Until today, only three have been revealed, each one a bespoke commission through McLaren Special Operations (MSO).
This week, the dealership unveiled the fourth and Senna XP tribute car. Like the other three which have themes related to Senna’s victories, this one has the theme of ‘El Triunfo Absoluto’ (‘The Absolute Triumph’ in English). It celebrates the 1989 Mexican Grand Prix where he led from pole position and secured the championship lead with his third straight win of the season.
This particular car was used for press activity in the USA before it was sent back to the UK in 2021 to be rebuilt, explaining why it is only now being delivered to the owner. Commissioned through MSO, which offers near limitless design possibilities, the Senna XP El Triunfo Absoluto features numerous unique design elements that celebrate the win in Mexico in 1989.
The road-legal car is finished in Graphite Grey paint, and features a remarkable livery painted in Accent Red and Mexico Green on the roof scoop, front service panel and sides, inside front fenders, door lowers, front light sockets, front and rear wheel arch vanes, and rear bumper.
Also featured is an exposed Gloss Visual Carbon Fibre (VCF) Ayrton Senna signature on the driver’s side in front of the light socket, which is clearly visible on the front of the car. On the door lowers, there is an exposed Graphite Grey ‘Senna XP’ logo, and the Graphite Grey rear wing end plates are painted with a ‘1’ in Anniversary White.
The rear wing upper is a hand-painted flying Mexico flag, which is painted in Mexico Green, Anniversary White, and Accent Red with exquisite detail. On the front fender in stencil effect reads ‘EL TRIUNFO ABSOLUTO’, expressing the name of the theme.
The exterior also includes eye-catching MSO Bespoke Gloss VCF Elements replacing all the standard exterior Satin VCF areas except the roof canopy. The Centre Lock wheel nuts are painted in Anniversary White and on the front end, you can see the MSO Bespoke Gloss VCF aero blades and MSO Bespoke Electroform Front Badge. Another distinct exterior feature MSO has brought to life on this car is the MSO Bespoke fuel cap, which is painted in the design of the flag of Mexico.
Inside, the full MSO Bespoke Jet-Black leather interior is complemented by the seatpad outers which are embroidered with a double stitch in Pure White and Bright Red. The headrest pads are also exquisitely embroidered with the Mexican Flag and ‘EL TRIUNFO ABSOLUTO’ embroidered underneath.
The standard interior VCF areas are replaced with a Green Tinted Gloss VCF, and further distinct features include the MSO Bespoke painted door struts painted in Anniversary White, Galvanic Grey brushed and polished interior brightwork, MSO Bespoke door sills, and MSO Bespoke Extended Carbon Fibre Sills with a uniquely airbrushed depiction of Senna on the podium in 1989.
The finishing touches of the interior are further enhanced with subtle signature details such as a MSO Bespoke steering wheel with Green Tinted Gloss VCF Upper and a special 12 o’clock marker of a Triple Centre band which is painted in Mexico Green, Anniversary White, and Accent Red. A MSO Bespoke accelerator pedal is laser-etched with the Mexican Grand Prix 1989 racetrack layout at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, and a MSO Bespoke dedication plaque etched with ‘EL GRAN PREMIO DE MEXICO DE 1989’.
Like the other Senna XPs, this one has a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 M840TR engine that produces 800 ps/800 Nm, giving a power-to-weight ratio of 668 ps/tonne (it weighs 1,198 kgs). McLaren’s test drivers have taken it from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds, taking another 4 seconds to get to 200 km/h in the same run and reaching 300 km/h 18.8 seconds after launch.
In 2018, the base price of a Senna was almost US$1.5 million (equivalent to RM5.95 million). The XP versions, being rarer, would cost more and with the personalization and enhancement done by MSO, these four cars now being driven around Beverly Hills would be considerably more.
McLaren Special Operations (MSO) has built a very exclusive model in the 106-car Speedtail range which pays homage to the first Speedtail attribute testing vehicle from 2018. Known as the ‘Albert’ Speedtail, its name refers to that the 1992 McLaren F1 test mules, which were named after the Albert Drive premises in England where the F1 was designed and built.
The original ‘Albert’ prototype vehicle was developed to validate the concept of the Speedtail’s central seat driving position, testing driver ergonomics and visibility and rearview camera positions. Built with the front panels from a 720S, the ‘Albert’ prototype was the first Speedtail to be driven on public roads.
“The name ‘Albert’ has a special resonance with MSO as we are the custodians of the McLaren F1 and are based at the Albert Drive premises that McLaren Cars occupied in the 1990s. The Speedtail experience has been an exciting journey for our customers, from visualising their imaginations to realising these inspirations and sharing their delight when unveiling the finished product. ‘Albert’ brings this project to a conclusion and we are thrilled to finish on a high note,” said Ansar Ali, MD of McLaren Special Operations.
The McLaren F1
When the original ’Albert’ travelled outside McLaren’s premises in public, it was camouflaged. The exterior design ‘camouflage’ was achieved by a simple 2-metre vinyl body wrap with design lines printed to represent the optimised airflow over the car.
The ‘Albert’ Speedtail carries on this legacy, which is one of the most complex paint themes ever completed by MSO. The colours selected for the ‘Albert’ homage are Magnesium Silver – the colour used for the F1 roadcar first shown at the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix – and Ueno Grey, the colour of the F1 GTR that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995. The full design treatment is closely based on the 2018 vinyl ‘camouflage’ wrap.
The new ‘Albert’ was built in the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) with a 1K gloss visual carbonfibre body. Due to the incredibly complex and detailed nature of the paintwork design, the MSO team completed test panels first to understand process feasibility and worked alongside the visualiser team to refine renders.
In total, ‘Albert’ would require a 12-week post-build modification at MSO’s facility to reach completion. This included 2 week’s masking, 6 weeks of painting and the remaining time to dry and reassemble the vehicle after spraying.
Referring to large-scale print-outs of the renders, the livery masking was completed by two specialist paint technicians. This had to be completed on the built car, with wheels fitted, to ensure accurate cross-panel alignment of the design as it flows around the vehicle. The masking of the livery required almost 2 kms of fine line-out tape to complete the initial design layout.
The 6-week painting process required the car to be disassembled to ensure complete accuracy and flawless finish. The paint blend effect was located on the door applique’s outer body panels with the front painted in Ueno Grey and rear in Magnesium Silver. After the first paint application, all body panels were treated and refitted to ensure perfect alignment and only after this the final clearcoat was applied.
Based on the form of a teardrop, the most aerodynamically efficient shape found in nature, the Speedtail is the ideal streamlined hypercar, a 3-seat hyper GT that became the third car in McLaren’s Ultimate Series line-up. With its 1,070 bhp hybrid powertrain, the Speedtail is claimed to be able to cover 112 metres each second when travelling at its top speed of 402 km/h, making it the fastest McLaren roadcar to date.
The 2021 ‘Albert’ Speedtail will be unveiled to the public this weekend in Los Angeles. ‘’As one of the very last Speedtails to be built at the McLaren Production Centre, it was very important to us at McLaren Beverly Hills that ‘Albert’ honours the brand’s rich heritage, particularly paying tribute to the icon that is the McLaren F1,” said Parris Mullins of McLaren Beverly Hills.
“We worked alongside MSO through every stage, including concept ideation, to produce a truly bespoke and beautifully detailed car that celebrates the innovation and design excellence behind the fastest McLaren roadcar to date. We are fortunate to have been able to procure ‘Albert’ for one of our top clients and are absolutely thrilled with the finished result,’’ he added.
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Open-topped cars may not command big volumes but they are still very much in demand, at least in the upper levels of the market. So it is worthwhile engineering a convertible variant (and it’s not just a matter of leaving out the roof) as there will usually be more than enough buyers. That is likely to be the case with the new 765LT Spider, a complementary model to the 765LT ‘Longtail’ coupe that McLaren unveiled last year.
This new Spider is McLaren’s most powerful-ever convertible model and with only 765 cars to be available, it will be an exclusive McLaren with each unit having a pricetag starting from £310,500 in the UK (about RM1.823 million before Malaysian tax). MSO Clubsport Pack and MSO LT Black Pack options are available, plus other individual MSO options.
Carrying over the coupe’s dynamic and aerodynamic DNA with no structural compromise and only a minimal 49 kgs weight increase – primarily from the retractable hardtop and accompanying operating mechanism – the 765LT Spider weighs just 1,388 kgs,, which is 80 kgs lighter than a 720S Spider and around 100 kgs lighter than its closest comparable competitor.
High-performance lightweight materials feature throughout, with advanced carbonfibre technologies used for body components. Specific weight-saving components include titanium exhaust system (saving 40% over steel equivalent), Formula 1-grade transmission materials and thinner glass.
Up to 22 kgs has been saved in the development of the LT’s bespoke Ultra-Lightweight forged alloy wheels. These are fitted with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres specially developed for the 765LT. Titanium wheel bolts are also standard fit.
In addition to all this, a significant proportion of the 80-kg weight-saving over the 720S is achieved inside the cockpit. The carbonfibre-shelled racing seats fitted as standard are together 18 kgs lighter than the 720S sports seats.
The cockpit’s central tunnel is made of carbonfibre just 0.8 mm thick; the door pockets are replaced by nets; and carbonfibre has been used for such micro-details as the window switch surrounds, steering wheel clasp and Active Dynamics Panel surround. Further weight is saved by deleting the floor carpet (saving 2.4 kgs), air-conditioning system (1 0kgs) and audio system (1.5 kgs) – although the latter two can requested by customers at no extra charge.
The Spider version of the carbonfibre MonoCage II – designated MonoCage II-S – was developed alongside the coupe monocoque and shares most of its structural elements, including the windscreen surround. Such is the strength and stiffness of the structure that no additional bracing is required over the coupe – another weight-optimising factor. At the rear of the car, carbonfibre structural supports are fully bonded into the chassis to provide roll-over protection.
The electrically operated, one-piece carbonfibre Retractable Hard Top (RHT) goes from closed to open within 11 seconds (among the world’s quickest) and can operate at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The convertible roof design plays an integral role in the structure, featuring a carbonfibre frame within the RHT panel and creating a full carbonfibre shell when closed.
The roof mechanism, powered by 8 motors, is also among the world’s quietest. Occupants will experience a sound no louder than 50 dBA during operation, with a peak of 60 dBA during the latching process – twice as quiet as the roof of the 675LT Spider, the first convertible LT supercar.
The rear window, which can be lowered even when the roof is up to intensify the quadrophonic exhaust note, has its own motor, as does the RHT latching mechanism. All these motors are optimised to work in parallel, allowing the roof to begin to move before the tonneau has completely opened, which saves time
There are also additional comfort benefits for occupants: because it is a single-piece panel with no central seal, headroom is improved, while the extended length of the roof panel allows the tops of the A-pillars to be further forward, enhancing the sense of space and easing ingress and egress.
Like every LT, the new Spider is designed to excel on track; the ability to remove the roof makes it an even more immersive and compelling car to drive on the road. There is the same highly evolved aerodynamic package as the coupe but the active rear wing calibration is revised to reflect whether the roof is up or down. A recalibration of the dampers has also been necessary to account for the minor increase in weight. As a result, the Spider matches the coupe’s aero performance in every respect, with class-leading downforce 25% greater than that of a 720S Spider.
765 ps from the 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine makes this the brand’s most powerful convertible, and it has a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 598 ps-per-tonne at lightest dry weight – with 800 Nm of torque. The transmission gear ratios have been revised and makes in-gear acceleration 15% quicker than a 720S Spider.
The McLaren Elva, one of the models in the Ultimate Series which consists of the F1, the P1, Senna, and the Speedtail, was originally designed without a windscreen, an open-top that would give an exhilarating experience like that of a motorcycle. Nevertheless, the engineers developed an Active Air Management System (AAMS) to provide a barrier of air so as to reduce the blast when travelling at high speeds.
However, not all customers may appreciate the absence of the glass shield in front and in some states in the USA, regulations require it to be fitted. So McLaren is now adding a windscreen to the Elva (which means ‘she goes’ in French), a move which obviously adds weight to the car.
20 kgs of extra weight
The original Elva is McLaren Automotive’s lightest-ever roadcar and keeping weight down has been one of the strong points of the brand. Installing a windscreen with the heavy glass adds extra weight which includes electronically synchronized rain-sensing wipers, washer jets and sun visors. To save weight, the frame is made of carbonfibre and the AAMS is also left out, resulting in a weight increase of just 20 kgs.
A separate engineering programme optimized aerodynamic and dynamic performance to ensure this variant has the same driving dynamics and performance of the original car. The vehicle stiffness is also said to be maintained.
Customers will have the option of having a windscreen or no windscreen as the original car was designed (above).
Performance comparable to Senna
The acceleration of both versions, which have 804 bhp, twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engines, is comparable with that of a McLaren Senna. The claim is 2.8 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h for the fully open Elva as performance figures for the one with the windscreen are not available at this time since the first production unit has not been completed.
The Elva links McLaren’s heritage to its present and future with a name and style that recalls the McLaren-Elva racing cars of the 1960s. These were amongst the first sportscars designed and raced by Bruce McLaren and the company that he founded; today’s Elva was created to evoke the spirit of driving enjoyment symbolized by these cars.
They are available with heritage liveries like that of the Satin Casa Blue windscreen model prototype pictured. Customisation is, of course, available although the model will be among one of the rarest of McLarens. The initial plan was to make 399 units, but this number was reduced to 249 units and this year, the company has said that only 149 units will be available, with first deliveries starting at the end of this year.
“Super-lightweight and extremely powerful, the Elva delivers the ultimate connection between a driver, the road and the elements. Created to celebrate the pure joy of driving, it’s one of the most distinctive – and exclusive – cars we have made. Roofless and without windows, whether you opt for the screenless model with its sophisticated AAMS technology that provides an invisible barrier of air, or the windshield version with an additional level of enclosure, this is a roadster that rewards owners with the most exhilarating of open-air driving experiences, delivered as only a McLaren can,” said Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive.
Gulf Oil was one of the original ‘Seven Sisters’, the biggest oil companies in the world which dominated the industry up till the mid-1970s. Like many companies in the oil industry, Gulf Oil used motorsports as one of its marketing tools, sponsoring Ford and McLaren in major international races like the Le Mans 24 Hours.
It ceased to exist after the mid-1980s but various spin-off businesses continued in various fields. One of those companies, known as Gulf Oil International, signed a multi-year multi-year strategic partnership with McLaren in July 2020 which will see the name and iconic colours on the British sportscars as well as business associations in other areas.
Various partnership activities
For example, Gulf is now the preferred lubricant supplier to McLaren Automotive, with all cars filled with Gulf Oil and fuel optimised for its high-performance engines. Gulf branding will also be displayed at McLaren Automotive’s PURE customer events that take place around the world, at retailers and on team kit.
In addition, a small and exclusive number of customers will be given the option to have their car hand-painted by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the firm’s bespoke division, in Gulf colours which echo the famous F1 GTR Le Mans car that raced in the 1990s. In October last year, an Elva Gulf Theme by MSO was unveiled during the Goodwood SpeedWeek in England.
Senna GTR LM in Gulf colours
MSO project
This month, MSO reveals a bespoke 720S in the iconic Gulf racing colours, the hand-painted livery having taken 20 days to complete. Having trialled several iterations to create the perfect finish from McLaren Automotive paint technology partner AkzoNobel’s exhaustive pallet of premium automotive paint hues.
In addition to the iconic racing blue and orange colours, MSO has echoed the Gulf solid orange colour on the brake calipers, with the bespoke interior of this 720S featuring matching blue and orange stitching with Gulf logos embroidered on the headrests and painted on the sills.
The famous McLaren steering wheel incorporates a centre band to match the exterior stripe in Gulf solid orange and Gulf solid dark blue on the visual carbon fibre spokes. Matching key shells are also provided to the customer.
Technical specs similar to other 720S models
Technically, the 720S remains the benchmark supercar with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing up to 720 ps/770 Nm to give a claimed 0 to 100 km/h time of 2.9 seconds and an unrestricted maximum speed of 341 km/h.
Its carbonfibre Monocage II contributes to a class-leading lightest dry weight of 1,283 kgs, while Proactive Chassis Control II suspension and active aerodynamics provide the outstanding performance on both road and track.
The 720S is the culmination of a joint project between MSO and Gulf to ensure a perfectly colour-matched range of paints in metallic and solid finishes that capture both of their unique identities. “McLaren Automotive has firmly established itself as the pioneering supercar company within just 10 years, but the McLaren brand has a remarkable history before this and it is always great to see customers embracing famous liveries on modern McLaren supercars,” said Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive.
“The 720S in Gulf colours celebrates two high-performance brands who draw on a deep automotive and racing history that have embarked on a new strategic partnership to excite customers and fans around the world. This project is a showcase of MSO’s capabilities and echoes the recent full restoration of the McLaren F1 GTR 25R, a car raced in the 1990s. The 720S in such an evocative livery and interior finish, created in close association with Gulf, which perfectly shows the potential for our customers to work with MSO’s skilled team to personalise their McLaren,” he said.
People who can afford to buy a McLaren will often want to have a degree of personalisation, especially in place like Beverly Hills where neighbours might also own McLarens. So what the dealer there did was to offer 15 customers not only an exclusive version specially commissioned from McLaren Special Operations (MSO) but also invite them to participate in the development process.
Known as the McLaren Sabre, the hypercar is designed and homologated exclusively for the US market, stretching design, engineering and aerodynamic conventions to new limits. It has the most powerful non-hybrid McLaren twin-turbo V8 engine to date, generating 824 bhp/800 Nm. With a claimed maximum speed capability of 350 km/h, it is the fastest-ever two-seater McLaren.
Only 15 units produced
The Sabre by MSO is the co-creation of its customers and McLaren Special Operations designers and engineers. There are just 15 examples, each personalized and featuring ideas and innovations that global homologation would not necessarily permit. The first customers have received their cars this week, just in time for Christmas.
The Bespoke Commission customer experience includes a close working relationship with the MSO development team of designers, engineers and test drivers to ensure that the finished car would exactly match their desired and personalized concept.
Extensive level of access
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have been involved with a number of very special cars and I’ve never seen a manufacturer give clients the level of access that McLaren Special Operations has provided for the Sabre,” said Parris Mullins, Motorsport Director for a racing team. “Everything from visiting the ‘skunkworks’ style design studio in the UK to flying out the actual development test mule for clients to get behind the wheel of and drive at a private track –these just aren’t things you typically get access to.”
The build process culminated with a highly exclusive and secret track day for customers. Each owner was allowed to drive a development car multiple times throughout the day, while being coached from the right seat. After returning from the drive, owners met in a private room to give direct feedback via video chat to the design and engineering team back in England.
McLaren Automotive today unveiled the McLaren Elva Gulf Theme by MSO (McLaren Special Operations), a celebration of the renewed relationship between McLaren and the Gulf Oil brand which existed 60 years ago. It’s another example of how designs from McLaren’s racing history are inspiring the brand’s modern-day customers.
The unique McLaren roadster in blue and orange Gulf colours will makes its world debut at Goodwood SpeedWeek, a ‘closed-door’ live broadcast event bringing together the past, present and future of motoring and motorsport at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in the UK.
New partnership with Gulf
McLaren and Gulf recently confirmed a new partnership that renews a historic union between the two brands that originated in the 1960s, a decade when both companies made their first forays into motorsport. Gulf branding appeared on McLaren’s Can-Am, Formula 1 and Indy cars from 1968 to 1973. Two decades later, McLaren F1 GTRs run by customer team GTC carried the famous Gulf livery in global GT racing, including at Le Mans.
McLaren F1 GTR in 1997
Under the new partnership, McLaren Automotive customers will have the opportunity to commission Gulf-liveried cars directly from MSO. These follow cars inspired by the famous livery designed and produced by MSO prior to the renewed relationship being agreed.
Most recently, a McLaren Senna GTR LM paying homage to the #24 McLaren F1 GTR that finished fourth in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans race was completed as one of five MSO-designed customer cars celebrating the McLaren F1’s domination of that race.
2020 McLaren Senna F1 GTR LM Edition
“The McLaren Elva Gulf Theme by MSO is a striking celebration of both McLaren’s history in sports car racing and our new partnership with Gulf Oil. McLaren Special Operations is committed to pushing the boundaries of the ‘art of the possible’ and projects like this showcase the increasingly extensive range of personalisation options we can offer customers – in this case, enhancing the authenticity of the livery by incorporating Gulf brand logos into the design,” said Ansar Ali, Managing Director of MSO.
McLaren Ultimate Series
The Elva, which follows the McLaren P1TM, McLaren Senna and Speedtail in McLaren’s Ultimate Series, links McLaren’s heritage to its present and future with a name and style that recalls the McLaren-Elva sports racers of the 1960s. These were among the first sportscars designed and raced by Bruce McLaren and the company he founded, and the new Elva evokes the true spirit of driving enjoyment symbolised by this era.
In line with McLaren’s on-going commitment to super-lightweight engineering, the new Ultimate Series roadster retains the lightweight construction philosophy of its forebear and is at the cutting-edge of automotive technology.
The body design of the screenless, roofless Elva, for example, incorporates an innovative Active Air Management System that creates a virtual canopy over the seamlessly-integrated cockpit. It is powered by an 815 PS/800 Nm 4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine.
Only 149 units
With deliveries of the Elva commencing this year, MSO has already completed the specification of the first cars and is well-advanced in discussions with customers to create further dramatic paintwork and liveries. Just 149 examples of the Ultimate Series roadster will be available to customer order, making it one of the rarest McLarens ever produced.
In the 1995 Le Mans 24-Hour race, two McLaren F1 GTRs finished 1st and 2nd, with three others finishing 4th, 5th and 13th. 25 years later, the company celebrates that victorious occasion with 5 customer-commissioned examples of the Senna GTR model.
A McLaren F1 GTR in the 1995 Le Mans.
Each car is finished in a unique hand-painted livery completed in more than 800 hours of painstaking craftsmanship. Every painted detail on the 5 cars was finished by hand at McLaren Special Operations (MSO). Special permissions were granted by brand owners such as Gulf and Harrods and by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (the Le Mans organiser) to recreate logos and trademarks.
The roof of each car even features an authentically recreated scrutineering sticker, which is the only piece of vinyl in the livery. Each car also comes with a ‘1 of 1’ dedication plaque featuring the VIN number of the car, with provenance details of its 1995 Le Mans F1 GTR ‘twin’ etched on the carbonfibre sill.
There’s also a more powerful engine which develops 845 ps/800 Nm, an increase of 20 ps over the 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine in the regular Senna GTR. Revised torque curve characteristics deliver more torque at lower revs and enable a redline set closer to 9,000 rpm than the ‘soft limit’ of 8,250 rpm.
OZ Racing, which supplied the wheels for the McLaren F1 GTR, created a bespoke, 5-spoke GTR LM wheel design. The brake calipers finished in satin gold are another nod to the F1 and the suspension wishbones are in an anodised version of the same colour.
In the cabin, the exclusive features include a racing steering wheel with anodised gold gearshift paddles and control buttons (in tribute to the McLaren F1’s gold-coloured gear linkage), and titanium nitride pedals with LM logos. The leather door-pull straps and lightweight carbonfibre racing seats are complemented by bespoke headrest embroidery and an MSO 6-point racing harness coloured black with body-colour pads.
“The incredible cars of the McLaren Senna GTR LM collection are an exceptionally fitting way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Le Mans victory in 1995,” said Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive. “That achievement is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest endurance racing performances of all time, but for McLaren its importance was even greater because it demonstrated an immediate and undeniable connection between the racing DNA of our brand and the start of our road car journey.”
All five owners will have the opportunity in 2021 to participate in an unprecedented Le Mans circuit driving experience on the morning before the race starts, accompanied by the original F1 GTRs that competed in 1995.
Ayrton Senna was one of Formula 1’s greatest drivers and tragically died in an accident on the track at the age of 34. But he is remembered and honoured in many ways and recently, a McLaren dealer in Beverly Hills, California, unveiled three one-of-a-kind McLaren Senna XP cars. The XP cars were specially commissioned by the dealer from McLaren Special Operations (MSO) and each has a pricetag of US$1,435,328 (equivalent to RM5.95 million).
Only 500 examples of the McLaren Senna were made available globally during the car’s limited production run, and all were snapped up by enthusiasts before production even began in 2018. The XP cars are even rarer, being traditionally the factory experimental prototypes and initial test cars, and then re-built to individual customer specifications after the model program is completed.
Photo credit for all images: Robert Grubbs
Inspired by Senna’s remarkable achievements
The Beverly Hills XP vehicles are inspired by three of the most remarkable achievements in the career of F1 driver. Each car features a fully exposed gloss carbonfibre bodywork with unique paintwork detailing matching the hosting countries’ colours of the corresponding Grand Prix. The flags of these countries are hand painted on the rear wing which, together with the exquisite detail airbrushed onto the interior extended carbonfibre sills, shows the racing exploits of the great man.
These features and the fully bespoke interiors in matching tinted gloss carbonfibre, took the craftsmen and women at MSO 780 hours to create. The finishing touches are bespoke brake calipers, a steering wheel with special 12 o’clock marker, an etched accelerator pedal, headrests embroidered with the nation’s flag and name of theme and a special 1 of 1 dedication plaque.
Master of Monaco celebrates Senna’s six wins, five of which were consecutive victories, at the famous street circuit between 1989 and 1993. Considered by most as requiring more concentration over a single lap than any other circuit, the drivers get closer to the barriers at Monaco than at any other Grand Prix. In 1988, Ayrton qualified on pole by over 2 seconds driving what he later said was “well over something conscious”.
Lap of the Gods pays respect to one of Ayrton’s greatest victories at Donington Park in the UK during the 1993 season. He started from 5th place on the grid to lead the race in the wet and changing conditions by the end of the first lap. Ayrton solidified his status and went to finish in first place over 1 minute ahead of the next car. This incredible drive by Ayrton is widely regarded as the best opening-lap charge in F1 history, and rightfully so.
Home Victory (vitória em casa, the Portuguese translation of Home Victory) pays homage to Ayrton’s home country of Brazil and his first home win in 1991. Against all odds, Ayrton won the race at the Interlagos circuit with only 6th gear remaining through the final laps; with competitors catching up to him, his superhuman effort and great luck led him to victory in the emotional race.
“I only returned to reality when I saw the finish line” he said. “Then I felt happy to be alive, to be in Interlagos, in my homeland, and with my happy compatriots. It wasn’t the greatest victory of my life, but one where I gave everything I had.”
