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A McLaren donated to Sir Elton John’s charity has sold for a staggering £725,000 – more than four times its value.
Philanthropic petrolheads battled it out to get their hands on the stunning 204mph McLaren 570S Spider at The Argento Ball.
The convertible, which McLaren Automotive donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, would have typically cost around £165,000.
But at the star-studded bash, attended by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Victoria Beckham and Tracey Emin, it ended up being bought by an anonymous bidder for £725,000.
All of the proceeds from the sale at Sir Elton John’s home in Berkshire will go towards helping create an AIDS-free future.
Sir Elton said “We are thrilled with the success of the event. Funds raised can make a real impact for our work with young people.”
In addition to picking up the 570S Spider, the auction winner will receive a personal tour of the McLaren Technology Centre by Amanda McLaren, the only child of founder Bruce McLaren and a brand ambassador for McLaren Automotive.
Their new car is fitted with a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine which develops 562bhp.
This gives the McLaren 570S Spider a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds and a 0-124mph time of 9.6 seconds.
It has a top speed of 204mph, making it one of the world’s quickest convertibles.
The roof is an electrically-folding hardtop that can be lowered in just 15 seconds at speeds of up to 25mph.
To mark the sale and celebrate the Argento Ball’s silver anniversary, the special 570S Spider was hand-sprayed in special metallic ‘Blade Silver’.
The McLaren has incredible stopping power thanks to its carbon ceramic brakes.
At 124mph, the high-powered brakes will bring the McLaren to a standstill in just 133 metres. At 62mph, the McLaren will be stationary in just 32 metres.
Inside, the bespoke 570S Spider features a ‘By McLaren’ Sport interior with Jet Black Nappa leather seats stitched with Carbon Black thread.
The hand-built McLaren 570S Spider is available to order from all McLaren retailers with prices starting from £164,750.
Bespoke services are available from McLaren Special Operations (MSO), which offers almost limitless design possibilities.
