The McLaren 570GT MSO comes with added gold

Ladies and gents, meet the first McLaren 570GT to get the MSO treatment. That stands for McLaren Special Operations, if you need a reminder. So what you’re seeing here is a 570 that’s just a little bit more, well, special than the rest.

It may have ‘GT’ in its name, but the MSO team have decided it definitely needs more noise. So there’s a new titanium exhaust system, which is not only 30 per cent lighter than the stainless steel item it replaces, but the provider of an “improved aural experience”, too. Good.

Not content with titillating our ears, MSO is going for our eyes too. The new exhaust gets a set of new heat shields. That’s a more exciting addition than it sounds, for they are finished in a golden titanium nitride tint. It’s a superb nod to a similar treatment in the old McLaren F1. And more superb yet given the shields change through blue and purple as they heat up and cool down.

Another chameleon-like addition is the electro-chromatic glass roof, which (thanks, presumably, to witchcraft) offers up five levels of tint, from clear to dark. It debuts here, but will be available on all 570GTs thanks to MSO’s ‘Defined’ options list.

Other highlights include gloss carbon sills, which complement the pearl white and piano black exterior styling. Inside, there’s ‘Saddle Tan’ leather and a 12-speaker Bowers and Wilkins stereo. Given the size of the GT’s cabin, that’s an impressive number of speakers to squeeze in.

The McLaren 570GT by MSO Concept makes its first appearance at this weekend’s Pebble Beach concours event in California. Like what you see? Will you be speccing gold on your next McLaren?