The McLaren 3-7-59 Livery Celebrates Three Race Winners
Six 750S variations are planned, all unique and all sold.
In case you’re unaware, McLaren turned sixty this year. Clearly, it calls for celebrations. And by the kind of projects the brand has undertaken this calendar year, little has been left to the imagination to mark the 60th anniversary. However, its latest stint is, perhaps, the most intriguing and intricate to date. McLaren calls it the 3-7-59 theme, and although that seems like a birth date, it isn’t.
The supremely busy livery you see here on a McLaren 750S Spider celebrates three race winners. The British brand tags the feat as motorsport’s unofficial ‘Triple Crown’ of victories. The 3-7-59 name comes from the race numbers donned by the podium-topping McLarens in three racing events. The ‘3’ is taken from the M16D racer that won the 1974 Indy 500, driven by Johnny Rutherford, while the ‘7’ comes from Alain Prost’s McLaren MP4/2 that won the 1984 F1 Monaco GP. The third number – 59 – pays homage to the McLaren F1 GTR that won the 1995 Le Mans. It was driven by Yannick Dalmas, Masanori Sekiya and JJ Lehto.
To many, the theme might look like a mess. But delving into the details will turn them for sure. Over 20 colours have been used on each car’s exterior, and more than 1,200 hours go into finishing the paintwork. For the record, McLaren has planned just six 750S examples, coupe or Spider, and all have already found takers.
The red and white livery at the front, with the ‘7’ race number on the bonnet, comes from the Monaco-winning F1 car. The grey colour schemes and the ‘59’ race number on the sides celebrate the 1995 Le Mans winner. There’s also a green dot, which denotes the F1 GTR’s participation in the GT1 class of the 24-hour race. Hidden ‘easter eggs’ and the evolution of McLaren’s logo over the years are examples of the finer details in the paint scheme.
Towards the rear of the two-seater supercar is the orange shade that matches the one on the 1974 Indy 500 winner, whereas the ‘3’ is in blue. The convergence of all the different colours and the use of four blue shades with that splashy finish showcase McLaren’s prowess in the paint shop.
The lightweight wheels are satin black, accompanied by alternating brake callipers finished in blue, red and Le Mans Gold. Moreover, a ‘3-7-59’ motif shines on the bracket housing the LED DRLs within the headlight enclosure, but only in a particular light and at a certain angle. Another such touch is at the rear, where an electrochromic MSO logo glows within the brake light mounted on the airbrake’s underbelly. Even the Triple Crown logo, located at the lower end of both doors, is a work of art.
The same logo is also found indoors, stitched on the headrests and debossed on the centre armrest. The carbon fibre racing seats are draped in graphite Alcantara, while the white stitching provides the contrast. Other intricate details inside the cabin include a painted 12 o’clock marker on the steering wheel rim, hand-painted and extended carbon fibre shift paddles and laser-etched artwork on the ceramic-coated pedals. The Triple Crown stars are also painted onto the door sills, and the car’s dedication plaque is unmissable when doors open.
The McLaren 3-7-59 livery is one of the most complex there ever has been. What’s your take on it?
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