In a city that glows in a million shades of neon, McLaren has chosen to make its statement in black and white. Ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the British marque has pulled the wraps off Project Viva, a one-off McLaren 750S commissioned and crafted by McLaren Special Operations (MSO)—the brand’s in-house atelier responsible for the most exclusive, imaginative, and obsessively detailed cars to wear the McLaren badge.
Project Viva is more than a showpiece; it’s a manifesto of McLaren’s design philosophy. Where most automakers would mirror Vegas’ electric palette, MSO took a contrarian route—reinterpreting the city’s pulse and spectacle through a monochrome lens. The result is an art piece on wheels: intricate, hand-painted linework that transforms the 750S into a kinetic sketch, capturing the rhythm of the Strip, the shimmer of marquees, and the energy of a city that never powers down.
“The ‘Sketch in Motion’ livery isn’t about color—it’s about character,” says Jonathan Simms, Director of McLaren Special Operations. “It captures the story of Las Vegas not through brightness, but through movement and form.”
That form is unmistakably McLaren. The 750S, already the brand’s lightest and most powerful series-production supercar, provides the perfect canvas for MSO’s vision. Underneath the paint lies the familiar 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, punching out 740 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, launching the coupe from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds. But for once, the performance isn’t the headline—it’s the artistry that steals the show.
The livery blends Muriwai White, a shade that traces its roots back to McLaren’s founding story, with a newly developed hue called Vegas Nights—a deep black finish flecked with microscopic specks of cyan, magenta, and green, designed to subtly mimic the city’s nocturnal glow. The interplay between light and motion makes Project Viva shimmer like a pencil sketch caught mid-gesture. Every stroke, every fade is hand-applied—a testament to the patience and precision that define MSO’s craft.
Adding an extra layer of personality, McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lent their own touch to the project. Their signatures and sketches adorn the car, alongside the tenth Constructors’ World Championship star etched on the rear bumper—a quiet but powerful nod to McLaren Racing’s enduring pursuit of excellence.
Inside, the Viva maintains its purposeful restraint. Black Alcantara, white contrast stitching, and laser-etched details echo the exterior’s monochrome artistry. It’s theatrical but not gaudy—pure McLaren minimalism, filtered through Vegas’ relentless sense of drama.
Simms sums it up best: “Project Viva captures what MSO is all about—pushing beyond convention to create something truly personal. It’s where craft meets character.”
Project Viva will make its public debut at the McLaren Experience Centre inside the Wynn Las Vegas from November 13–20, just ahead of the Grand Prix weekend. It’s a fitting stage for a car born from contrast—a monochrome masterpiece in a city addicted to color, and a reminder that true spectacle doesn’t always have to glow.
Source: McLaren