McLaren Special Operations recreates Gulf Oil livery for 720S to celebrate partnership

The in-house bespoke arm of British supercar manufacturer 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 cements both brands' renewed relationship, which was announced last year when McLaren confirmed Gulf's return as an official strategic partner. The custom 720S is a demonstration of the personalisation possibilities available on McLaren's supercars.

McLaren first partnered with Gulf in Formula One and other motorsport championships from 1968 to 1973. The association was revived in the 1990s with the introduction of the legendary McLaren F1 GTR, with swept to victory in the 1996 BPR Global Endurance Series. 

For the 2021 racing season, Gulf is the preferred lubricant supplier to McLaren Automotive, with all cars to be filled with Gulf oil, which has been specially formulated for McLaren's high-performance engines.

A limited number of customers will be offered the opportunity to have their McLaren supercars hand-painted by MSO in Gulf livery. This one-of-a-kind 720S is the product of 20 days of work by MSO's craftsmen and women, who bring about a perfectly colour-matched range of paints in metallic and solid finishes that capture both companies' unique identities.

MSO has reproduced Gulf Oil's distinctive orange on the brake calipers, with the bespoke interior of the 720S featuring matching blue and orange stitching. Gulf logos are embroidered on the headrests and painted on the sills.