McLaren Reignites Racing Glory with Retro-Liveried “Endurance” Hypercar at Monterey

McLaren used Monterey Car Week to unveil its ultra-exclusive “Project: Endurance” hypercar, a machine cloaked in nostalgia and scarcity. Its debut livery harks back to the marque’s 1974 Indianapolis 500 triumph, proving once again that heritage—when repackaged with exclusivity and a taste of behind-the-scenes access—remains a powerful currency.

“Project: Endurance,” McLaren’s customer hypercar program tied to the brand’s forthcoming Le Mans campaign, was introduced to American audiences at a private Monterey gathering. Though its competitive debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship is not scheduled until 2027, the car was presented in a striking retro guise: vivid papaya orange with a bold blue stripe and a single star across the roof, a nod to Johnny Rutherford’s Indy 500 victory that marked McLaren’s first milestone on the fabled Triple Crown path of Monaco, Indianapolis and Le Mans.

Wearing the number 3, the car’s reveal was less a motorsport showcase than a pitch to a carefully chosen clientele. The program promises not just a hypercar, but an invitation into McLaren’s endurance racing inner circle. Buyers receive a two-year itinerary of track experiences on the world’s most famous circuits, complete with a dedicated engineering team and professional driver coaching—a curated immersion that sells the dream of being part of the team without ever shouldering the burden of results.

McLaren Automotive boss Nick Collins called it “a very special opportunity.” Indeed, the novelty here lies less in the car’s raw sporting intent than in the business model: an exclusive, club-like construct that opens the garage door just wide enough for wealthy patrons to feel woven into McLaren’s racing narrative.