Custom McLaren 720S honours founder

“Life is measured in achievement, not years alone.”

These are the words which are painted along the rear wing of this one-off McLaren 720S, which honours the man who spoke them, Bruce McLaren.

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Photo by: Paul Henri Cahier

Unveiled at the Dubai Motor Show, the 720S was a special commission for McLaren Special Operations (MSO), which added “more than 120 hours” to the production of the car.

The words on the wing, which are part of the full quote: “To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one's ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone,” are written in Arabic script and stylised to represent the Dubai skyline.

Managing director of McLaren Middle East, Africa & Latin America Andreas Bareis says the car is not only special to the customer who commissioned it, but also to McLaren as a company.

Life-sized LEGO McLaren 720S

“The quote from Bruce McLaren rings true not only of the history of McLaren, but also the achievements of the UAE and the Gulf states over the last four decades,” he says.

“The UAE and the region are very important to McLaren, not only in terms of our client base, but also because of the support from our shareholders. This car pays tribute to that.”

Mechanically, the car features the standard equipment with a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 pumping out 530kW.

Inside and out, however, it’s been given a black and gold treatment, with everything from the steering wheel to the engine cover copping gold highlights.