Thursday 12th October 2017

MSO R Coupe and Spider revealed

McLaren Special Operations creates a special pair of 688hp supercars, because why make do with just one?

---

Given the last MSO product featured on PistonHeads was Michael Fux's 720S, these two Super Series McLarens look remarkably restrained. Amazing how bright pink can make a carbon central stripe, giant rear wing and dive planes look quite sensible...

And here's the coupe!

These 675LT-based cars are called the MSO R Coupe and MSO R Spider, created for one customer who clearly felt both Longtail models were lacking a certain something. To that end both the Coupe and Spider here have been upgraded to 688HS spec, which means the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 gets hand-polished cylinder heads and exhaust ports to tickle power up to - you've got it - 688hp.

Of course the more significant changes are externally, where MSO specialises in giving McLarens a unique touch. Both are Liquid Silver, the Coupe painted with a satin finish and the Spider gloss, with a Delta Red pinstripe on the front splitter and sideblade. Much of the carbon - known as VCF or Visual Carbon Fibre in McLaren jargon - is familiar from the 688HS, including the roof scoop, front splitter and rear diffuser. Note as well the 'MSO R' badges dotted around the car.

Are those seats from an Integra Type R?

The colour scheme continues inside too, with a pair of gorgeous MSO R-branded red bucket seats plus a mixture of carbon and Alcantara for every possible surface. Furthermore, the MSO R cars receive a bespoke Iris screen, instrument display and shift lights, the latter presumably questioning why you're travelling so fast in something so valuable...

Unsurprisingly no price has been revealed for this unique pair of McLarens, though we have been told to expect more cars in a similar style soon. According to the press material MSO is "currently seeing an increasing number of customers enquiring about bespoke and unique cars." So if you have a burning desire to create a one-off McLaren, then Special Operations is all ears. Just not in pink though, OK?

[Source: Autocar]

[Aftershox]

I suspect Mclaren will be the "Apple" of cars very soon. Lots of depreciating and nothing truly "special" apart from the ultimate series.

[skidskid]

Stand by for the incoming "but they said the HS was limited to X amount of cars" and "but this isnt one" posts.

[Desert Dragon]

You can have all the money in world but zero taste. I'd like mine "fecking ugly pls".

[Jordan210]

MSO said:

though we have been told to expect more cars in a similar style soon. According to the press material MSO is "currently seeing an increasing number of customers enquiring about bespoke and unique cars."

Not really unique or bespoke if there is more cars in a similar style then is it...

[vtecyo]

Looks like a lego concept car.

That spoiler too.... Christ.

[David87]

Meh. Spoiler is too small, there is not enough carbon bling and the seats are not red enough. 3/10 would not drive.

[gofasterrosssco]

Stick a similar amount of decals, coloured end bits, and a daft wing on a Porsche and you've got a "motorsport derived product" and people clamber over each other.. Do the same to a McLaren and its tasteless.? What's the difference..

[ChocolateFrog]

Those rear wings looks terrible, I've seen better eBay specials.

[99dndd]

This has "Hi guys I'm Shmee" written all over it.

[Ninja59]

TBH I thought the 688 had driven through Halfords this is worse.

[sc0tt]

Spoilers on convertibles... No.

[Hitch]

Not what I'd go for if I was throwing my own cash at MSO but I'd happily tootle around in either of those!

[dukeboy749r]

McClaren are seemingly happy to offer a bespoke everything and yet, somehow, it seems (to me) to detract from their overall appeal.

So many variations it is mightily difficult to keep up - goodness knows how I'd feel if I had bought one as a 'limited edition', only to find that it isn't and was already way down the charts because three newer 'better' models have just been released.

[WCZ]

wonder how much these cost, ~ £600k:?

[spikyone]

dukeboy749r said:

So many variations it is mightily difficult to keep up - goodness knows how I'd feel if I had bought one as a 'limited edition', only to find that it isn't and was already way down the charts because three newer 'better' models have just been released.

In that case you should probably never get a mobile phone, laptop/tablet, TV, any kind of car, any electrical product, etc. New stuff comes out all the time. Every piece of technology you buy will be obsolete or bettered in a year or so, even the basic stuff. I'd hope that someone who can drop nigh on half a million quid (at a guess) on a 'standard' MSO has enough self-confidence not to give a crap about keeping up with the Joneses.

ETA: Not that I will ever be able to afford a McLaren, but I actually like the coupe, although I would prefer if its rear wing (especially the mounts) was more like the one on the P1 GTR.

Edited by spikyone on Thursday 12th October 15:09

[WCZ]

dukeboy749r said:

McClaren are seemingly happy to offer a bespoke everything and yet, somehow, it seems (to me) to detract from their overall appeal.

So many variations it is mightily difficult to keep up - goodness knows how I'd feel if I had bought one as a 'limited edition', only to find that it isn't and was already way down the charts because three newer 'better' models have just been released.

you just lose money, really
buy the 675lt, you're thinking great! a mclaren lt - the f1 lt is worth st loads so i'll make good money on this!
then the 675lt spider comes out
then the 688hs
then the 688 R coupe
then the 688 R spider

[Bencolem]

I’d assumed that McLaren had dropped the LT and 650S spider when the 720S came out. You do learn something new everyday!

[Zadkiel]

This is definitely not ideal for 688HS owners. It's like your car but rarer. Their system really does seem to have difficulty in keep limited cars special for long.

[Streetrod]

Are we sure that these two are not based on current cars rather than being brand new???

It would not surprise me if the owner already had a coupe and spider and has just sent them back to be updated by MSO

[Turbo cab]

Aftershox said:

I suspect Mclaren will be the "Apple" of cars very soon. Lots of depreciating and nothing truly "special" apart from the ultimate series.

Except Samsung are more comparable with McLaren. As I'm in telecoms I feel at liberty to challenge this statement - the only thing I make you right on Apple being nothing special unlike the McLaren.

You see the one thing Apple has that McLaren does not is brand value, when Apple releases a product the price it releases them at is the trading price through out the whole year until the new model release, this is reflected in the used price through trade in sites such as fonewizard.Co.uk whereby the buyback price on the old model will also remain fairly static until the a month or two before the new model is released - you can pretty much guess how much your used iPhone will be worth in a year using previous model data.

McLaren on the other hand is a bit like Samsung in its approach - packed full of the latest technology with loads of new features and ultimately a better product but no brand value, after a few months of release and with initial orders fulfilled comes the discounted sale of the product to move volume, ruining residuals for existing owners and driving the brand into the ground - this has been the same with McLaren since the 12c as it has with Samsung since the release of the galaxy series.