17 May 2021
- McLaren Automotive’s in-house personalisation arm, MSO, creates a bespoke 720S in the iconic Gulf Oil International racing colours
- Hand-painted livery took 20 days to complete
- Recalls legendary Gulf-GTC team McLaren F1 GTR race cars and celebrates McLaren’s renewed association with Gulf Oil International
- Includes matching key shells, brake calipers, bespoke interior including painted steering wheel centre band
- Opportunity for limited number of customers to commission Gulf livery through discussion with MSO
The in-house bespoke arm of luxury supercar maker McLaren Automotive, McLaren Special Operations (MSO), has unveiled a bespoke Gulf Oil-liveried McLaren 720S resplendent with the brand’s iconic racing colours.
The project is part of the renewed relationship announced last summer when McLaren confirmed Gulf’s return as an official strategic partner and a demonstration of the personalisation possibilities available on McLaren’s supercars
McLaren first partnered with Gulf in both Formula 1 and Can-Am from 1968 to 1973. The association was revived in the 1990s with the GTC Competition team’s legendary McLaren F1 GTRs, with victory in the 1996 BPR Global Endurance Series and the GT1 Class at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1997.
Having reunited again in 2020, this year Gulf became the preferred lubricant supplier to McLaren Automotive, with all cars to be filled with Gulf oil and fuel optimised for high performance engines.
A limited number of customers will exclusively have the opportunity to have their McLaren supercars hand-painted by MSO in Gulf livery. The 720S revealed this week 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.
Having trialled several iterations to create the perfect finish from McLaren Automotive paint technology partner AkzoNobel’s exhaustive pallet of premium automotive paint hues, the definitive version alone is the product of 20 days of work by MSO’s craftsmen and women.
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.
“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.
“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.”
Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive
“Gulf and McLaren have a relationship that dates back to 1968 and is one of the most successful and recognised partnerships. We’re proud to have worked closely with McLaren Special Operations to showcase the distinguished racing blue and fluro orange Gulf colourways on the 720S.
“McLaren is a brand that shares our future aspirations and our ambition for innovation, and we look forward to developing our relationship further in the years to come.”
Mike Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Oil International
The 720S remains the benchmark supercar; with a twin-turbocharged McLaren V8 engine producing up to 720PS and 770Nm of torque, it can accelerate to 100km/h (62mph) from standstill in just 2.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 341km/h (212mph).
Its carbon fibre Monocage II contributes to a class-leading lightest dry weight of 1,283kg, while Proactive Chassis Control II suspension and active aerodynamics help to unleash this sensational performance on both road and track.
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Ends
Notes to editors:
A selection of high resolution images accompanying this release is available to download from the McLaren Automotive media site – cars.mclaren.press
About McLaren Automotive:
McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance supercars.
Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England.
Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.
The company’s product portfolio of GT, supercar, Motorsport and Ultimate models are retailed through over 85 retailers in 40 markets around the world.
McLaren is a pioneer that continuously pushes the boundaries. In 1981, it introduced lightweight and strong carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1.
Then in 1993 it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car – the company has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™. In 2016, it announced a new hybrid hyper-GT would be engineering, confirming this next Ultimate Series car as the Speedtail in 2018.
2019 saw McLaren launch the 600LT Spider, the new GT and the track-only McLaren Senna GTR. It also unveiled the 620R and McLaren Elva before launching the 765LT the following year.
Most recently, the company unveiled its all-new high-performance hybrid supercar, the McLaren Artura.
The Artura is the first McLaren to benefit from the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). The MCLA is designed, developed and manufactured at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield region of England using world-first process and will spearhead the brand’s electrified future.
McLaren Automotive also chooses to partner with like-minded world-leading companies and organisations who push the boundaries in their respective fields. These include AkzoNobel, Ashurst, Dell Technologies, Gulf, Pirelli, Richard Mille and Tumi.
McLaren Group:
The McLaren Group is a global leader in luxury automotive and technology and comprises three businesses: Automotive, Racing and Applied.
Further information:
Piers Scott
Global Director of PR & Marketing | McLaren Automotive Limited
Phone:+44 (0) 1483 241380
Mobile: +44 (0) 7387548837
Email: piers.scott@mclaren.com
Daniel Golding
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Paul Chadderton
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Hunter Skipworth
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Charlotte Jatana
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Kevin Ritson
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Chloe-Elise Bradford
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Roger Ormisher
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Laura Conrad
Public Relations Manager | McLaren Automotive, The Americas
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Lauren Dowdy
Press Officer– North America | McLaren Automotive, The Americas
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Amel Boubaaya
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Valentina Pichler
European Press Officer | McLaren Automotive Limited
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Adam Gron
Regional PR & Marketing Manager – Middle East and Africa | McLaren Automotive Limited
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Email: adam.gron@mclaren.com
Sunny Zhang
PR Communications Director – China | McLaren Automotive Limited
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Email: sunny.zhang@mclaren.com
Gracia Yap
PR Manager – Asia Pacific | McLaren Automotive Limited
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Mihoko Negishi
PR Manager – Japan | McLaren Automotive Asia Pte Ltd
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Email: mihoko.negishi@mclaren.com
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