To celebrate McLaren Automotive's 25th anniversary, the supercar maker decided to give back. The company donated a bespoke 570S Spider to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which was auctioned off at the Argento Ball on Wednesday, at Elton John's home.
The special 570S Spider features a Blade Silver exterior color to mark the company's silver anniversary, while 10-spoke alloy wheels are finished in a Stealth hue. The brake calipers boast traditional McLaren Orange. Inside, Jet Black Nappa leather covers the seats with a Carbon Black thread to provide only the most subtle contrast. McLaren also fitted the car with the optional sport exhaust system.
The final hammer price for the one-off McLaren was a whopping $956,000, placed by an anonymous bidder. He or she also will receive a personal tour of the McLaren Technology Center by Amanda McLaren, founder Bruce McLaren's only child and a brand ambassador for McLaren Automotive. During the tour, the winning bidder will see a McLaren supercar come to life, which should prove an incredible experience; McLaren does not open its Technology Center to the public. Miss McLaren will also personally sign the bespoke 570S Spider before departing.
Thanks to the winning bidder's funds, he or she will further benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation works to support and care to save lives and prevent new cases of the deadly disease. Ultimately, the goal is to create a world free of AIDS. The foundation provides care and assistance in 26 countries.
The winning bidder will have a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine at his or her disposal, capable of rocketing the 570S Spider from 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds toward a top speed of 196 mph with the top down. To go even faster in a Sports Series model, McLaren also has the new 600LT.