What's this then?

This is a McLaren 570S Spider Design Edition.

Design? I thought all cars were designed?

Well, yes, quite. But this one is extra designed. It's had paint, interior and trim all specially picked out and 'curated' by McLaren's own in-house team of designers and stylists, so it's extra pretty. Or, as McLaren puts it, delivers "the most visually balanced and pleasing result."

What's special about them then?

Well, the £164,750 570S Spider is already special enough by itself, you might think, but McLaren's stylists have grouped together five colours - Silica White, Storm Grey, Vermillion Red, Onyx Black or Vega Blue - and added a set of interior and exterior finishes and treatments that work in "perfect harmony."

For example?

Righto. The one in the photos is a 570S Spider in Onyx Black, which comes with a body-colour finish for the roof, dark-finish McLaren logos, 'Stealth' finish for the ten-spoke alloy wheels, and bright orange 'Papaya' finish for the brake calipers. Inside, you get Carbon Black Alcantara, McLaren Orange nappa leather, McLaren Orange perforated nappa leather seats with contrasting stitching, and even leather sill finishers.

"There is a virtually limitless number of different personalisation opportunities for the McLaren 570S Spider and who better to begin the process than the people who designed it?" commented McLaren Automotive Design Director, Rob Melville. "We have selected key exterior and interior colours and finishes that we believe showcase the 570S Spider in the most desirable way and are offering them as Design Editions that we as designers would choose."

It's going to be expensive, isn't it?

Yup. You'll need to add between £8,100 and £10,700 to turn your 570S Spider into a Design Edition model.

Neil Briscoe - 20 Apr 2018