On Tuesday evening, McLaren Beverly Hills, in conjunction with McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the bespoke division of McLaren Automotive, joined forces to celebrate the ‘Racing Through the Ages’ collection. This worldwide exclusive event unveiled six one-of-a-kind vehicles by MSO, commissioned by McLaren Beverly Hills, through a special evening of entertainment hosted by magician Frankie Foti and actor Aldis Hodge.
Upon arrival guests were taken through a branded maze of McLaren luxury sportscars and super cars, enhanced by 3D elements and an array of paneled walls with images from the iconic British brand. The grand reveal presented by Aldis Hodge in conjunction with co-host Frankie Foti featured a series of incredible magic tricks, from fog smoke to key appearances, designed to unveil each of the six bespoke MSO vehicles which had been until then disguised under black stealth sheets.
“We’ve built a dedicated following of McLaren owners here in Beverly Hills and the greater Los Angeles area,” said Chris Blank, Brand Manager, McLaren Beverly Hills. “As most of our clients are interested in customizing their vehicles, McLaren Special Operations gives them that opportunity. From custom paints to bespoke vehicles, MSO allows our clients to create truly one-of-a-kind vehicles. We are fortunate to have a phenomenal amount of support from McLaren to put together an event like this and showcase what McLaren Special Operations has to offer.”
The collection, which commemorates McLaren’s racing heritage, features three distinct themes: Muriwai, which celebrates Bruce McLaren’s early racing exploits in New Zealand; Papaya Spark, which honors victories in orange throughout the 1960s and 70s and its continued use on modern Formula One cars; and lastly, Sarthe Grey, inspired by McLaren’s dominant Le Mans victory in 1995, the only time a manufacturer has won Le Mans on its debut.
Each theme is represented by both a 570S Coupe and 570S Spider, for a total of six cars in the collection, all of which feature a GT4 racing stripe on the exterior hood and roof, and are complemented by the MSO Defined Black Pack, 10-Spoke Super-Lightweight Forged Wheels in Gloss Black and MSO Defined Titanium SuperSports Exhaust.
Such commissions have helped McLaren Beverly Hills be on track to become the number one retailer in the world in 2018 for McLaren Special Operations.
“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, Managing Director, McLaren Special Operations. “Working alongside our retailers such as McLaren Beverly Hills to create these distinctive, limited editions of special cars for McLaren customers is an increasingly important part of our business as the demand for bespoke commissions becomes more popular.”
As a special charity component, McLaren Beverly Hills announced at the event that it will donate a 570S Spider in Muriwai White (MSRP $264,878) to One Night for One Drop, which will be auctioned off at their philanthropic event hosted by Cirque du Soleil on March 8th 2019. The event supports One Drop, an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to safe water.
During the event, guests experienced a racing simulator and tire-donut wall by P Zero World and lounged on carbon fiber furniture by Essence of Strength. Signature cocktails were served by mixologist The Grand Bevy featuring McLaren’s logo, while guests enjoyed beverages featuring Absolut Elyx, Kikori Whiskey and Tavi Tequila, and enjoyed water by Acqua Panna.
A special thanks to Evening with MSO sponsors P Zero World, Finspeed, Technogym, Valmont, Essence of Strength, The Grand Bevy, Absolut Elyx, Kikori Whiskey, Tavi Tequila and Acqua Panna.
