When you think of a supercar, you picture bold, striking colours, right? Rosso Corsa, Verde Mantis, Papaya Spark, Guards Red, and so on. It’s usually a rite of passage with supercar ownership. You spend all that money; you want to be seen. You want people to think you’re well-off, and more superior as a result. You don’t buy a Ferrari in Rosso Corsa to blend in, you buy it to stand out, or to drive like a knob through Central London, revving the engine in neutral more than actually moving.
But then there’s the opposite: the more sensible, real-world individual. They’ve saved up their hard-earned pennies and can finally afford a McLaren 540C. Now, this is where things went one of two ways. Either the budget only stretched to a grey example rather than a striking orange, or they prefer quiet luxury and don’t like to shout about their wealth. I personally think it’s the latter. This is someone who wants to slip under the radar, avoiding attention except from those in the know. Remember the Least Photographed Challenge on Top Gear, where the trio drove through Puerto Banús? This is the Audi R8.
But everyone has their spark. That little touch of fun that slips through the seriousness. On this 540C, it’s the orange callipers. A tiny detail, but somehow one of the first things you notice, just behind the slate grey paintwork. It is a bit like someone having a great smile or striking eyes, a small feature of someone’s overall appearance but often the first thing that catches your eye. The callipers peek through the tasteful silver rims with just enough colour to show this McLaren is not strictly business.
So here it is, parked in a corner at a British marque weekend. There are Lotuses, Bentleys and TVRs here, but in my opinion, it’s the simple things in life that command the most attention. And this is what this specification embodies: a simpler, quieter lifestyle. If this person’s bank accounts are as under the radar as their car’s specification, then they are probably doing better than most.