Photos and words by Juan Rodriguez
I found out about the RS x McL event pretty late in the day but I cleared out the rest of my night to make it over there to hang out and capture the night. Being a fan of the McLaren's myself, I knew I was in for a treat.
Something that I love about being at Race Service is being surrounded by many other creatives and coupe that up with great hosting activities, its always sure to be a blast. Front and center was Joe's Vantage dumped on Volk TE37's and Lance's 997 Carrera S on BBS e88's. Rocking the Euros with the finest in the car game.
The vibe was amazing and I felt right at home with everything. As a spectator of the show, it made it easy to fall in love with the cars on display. Matched by amazing designs, the new apparel was lit. Designed based off the historic 01R F1 GTR, the graphics, font and blended perfectly together.
The merch line was long the whole night and eventually they sold out. The vibe was amazing as the DJ set the tone while being subtle enough to carry on conversations with other car enthusiasts. I felt so much at home and it felt like a celebration of some sort. Loved being here.
One thing that I didn't expect was this. An O'gara P1 in Black. McLaren Beverly Hills brought this beauty to the event which was probably the most admired car there. Taking a photo of it alone with no one around was a task on it's own, I probably stood in the same spot for 20 minutes for the shot but so worth it.
Moving towards the rear end I noticed the wheels and the 335 size tires, I can only imagine how driving it on a track must feel, or even sitting passenger. Sadly I don't see that happening anytime soon but there's always a dream. Another thing I didn't notice from the front was just how curvy this car is. I didn't realize how many curves it had until I started to noticed all of the reflections on body lines. It drew me in and it had me studying the design for some time.
While shooting I met up with Mil to catch up and share our thoughts on the event. While chatting with Gabe (which I want to personally thank) offered us a small tour of race service and the unique pieces they have. I really couldn't believe some of the history behind the objects they had as ornaments. Seeing the creative pieces they've designed and manufactured really did open my eye to a side I never really thought of and the work it takes was simply applaudable.
I've seen many McLaren Senna's in the past, but they just seem to amaze me every single time, and this particular one was no different. In exposed carbon with red accents around the car it is a perfect spec. This was parked right by a couch for good reason, who wouldn't want to sit down to enjoy the view of this thing.
Seeing the Senna up close is so dreamy as it it has high levels of exotics parts throughout the car. Starting with carbon fiber everywhere. Yes, we always need more carbon fibbbber! The carbon buckets are so gorgeous but I wonder how long one can be comfortable driving in these seats for long periods. Maybe one day I shall know lol. The swan wing is something that is polarizing to many enthusiasts but I think it looks amazing on the Senna and find it hard to imagine it without the swan wing. The doors... yea the doors are another drool factor. You can see the driver through a clear door. I mean, that looks insane!
The Artura is something that caught my eye because it's something completely new to McLaren. Holding a Twin Turbo v6, a first, with a battery electric powertrain, another first, I'm curious how it performs. Although many purists love internal combustion as do I, creating a hybrid is a step into the future. One thing no one is complaining about is its ability to create 671 Horses using both motors at once. Besides the performance aspect of it, the looks are definitely there, looks like your new Mclaren but with an electric looking front and year, less curves, less drag?
This Spec was mostly white with black here and there, the curvy lines on the good are a nice touch that I felt highlighted the hybrid part of the car. The exterior is pretty simple and nothing crazy, it sure felt off looking at a hybrid McLaren though. None the less they look like a ton of fun.
Something that's turning into a classic quickly is this 720s. I feel like I see them everywhere but it's for a reason. It was placed at the entrance and next to the free beer for a reason. Beer and 720s for the win!
This 720S sitting on HRE's really suited the car well and it was lowered perfectly. The owner really knocked it out of the park. I know how notorious the 720 is on track and street and hope to get a ride along in it one day.
One of the best parts of every event with some sweet cars is the end, when they all have to turn their motors and roll away. I made sure to stay till the end to not only capture them, but also hear them.
Congratulations to Race Service on their successful event, got to meet lots of new people and make new friends, with art all around me. Thanks again Gabe for the small tour.
Thank you for checking out my blog post! Enjoy these extra photos I took throughout the event
Juan Rodriguez
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