For many, the idea of owning and accessing a supercar like the McLaren 720S is sufficient in providing enough exposure, excitement, and entertainment to reach satiety. The progressive thinkers, like Peter Northrop at 1016 Industries, wouldn’t dare flirt with the norm, though, and instinctively stay on the hunt for something bigger, better, and more satisfying.
The Plastic Lamborghini Spark
Like you, Peter Northrop has been enamored with automotive life since his earliest days, but it was the Huracan LP 610 that he spotted at a Miami Lamborghini dealer that would inadvertently push him toward his career path. It wasn’t the googly-eyed rush of emotions followed by the requisite poster on the wall for inspiration. Northrop was instead intrigued by Lamborghini’s bemusing use of so much plastic on an automotive outlier, where he felt superior materials were deserved.
That Huracan encounter was the nudge that sent Northrop toward automotive design with a vision to provide high quality goods to high-end vehicles. In 2014, after a stint with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) at the Maserati/Alfa Romeo brand, he founded his own company – 1016 Industries. One of his company’s first orders of business involved creating a new body kit for that same Huracan LP 610 he’d visually picked apart at the dealer years prior.
More recently, 1016 Industries’ product line up focuses on Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, Lamborghini, of course, and now includes the McLaren 720S and 765LT. The sultry purple McLaren you see pictured served as the prototype for the group’s widebody aero-focused creation dubbed the “720 Vision.”
The entire widebody kit was 3D printed and run through two years and over 10,000 miles of comprehensive testing on the street and at the track. The result is a widened, jaw-dropping take on an already-stunning chassis that, when combined with lighter aftermarket wheels and exhaust, hits the scales over 300-lbs lighter than the car’s factory fighting weight.
Creating the 720S Vision
The Vision aero kit has the carbon fiber hood and engine cover that you would expect from a lightweight package, but it’s the new carbon real estate applied to all four corners of the 720S that make the biggest impact. Full quarter-panel and front fender replacements push the hips and shoulders further outward, with sleek matching side skirts. The aggressive 720S front gets an attitude adjustment with 1016’s replacement bumper. The kit features a lower lip extension which turns upward on either end with bold winglets that run alongside the bumper, for an even more dramatic presence.
Metal 3D printing parts go into the rear wing uprights that position the carbon fiber panel almost at roof level. Along that roof, a carbon scoop follows the car’s arch and, upon closer inspection, also incorporates the McLaren “swoosh” logo in its construction. Further down the car, a pair of rear bumper flaps bookend the sharp lower diffuser that brings the back bumper closer to earth.
No Shortcuts and the McLaren 765LT
1016 prides itself in taking the most detail-oriented and thorough approach to produce its aero products for automotive use. Carbon fiber is used in door structures and throughout the car, and the team committed to in-depth aero analysis, balance strategies, and real-world testing over a six-month period, having pored over complex computational fluid dynamics (CFD) info to insure the car did exactly what 1016’s vision intended.
The group doesn’t rely on familiar injection molded plastic, instead opting for high-quality nylon. The printing process originally used Polylactic acid, commonly known in the 3D printing world as PLA, but issues developed during vehicle testing. Stress and impact from driving revealed cracks, so 1016 invested in a new printer. The new printer uses heavy duty nylon, which has proven far more pliable and less brittle, especially when relating to on road noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). When MotorTrend spoke with Northrop, he mentioned the size and speed of printing is often an issue he’s always looking for a better solution to. His hope is that printing autoclavable molds will be a reality later this year, which should save time and money.
The same aero treatment from the 720S Vision kit is found on the matte black 765LT also pictured, though it doesn’t use the roof scoop, and the wing has been replaced with a wide, sculpted wing that sits much closer to the decklid. A luxury-styled wheel by Rohana with brushed aluminum gives a stylish feel, contrasted with the unabashedly sinister aura of the satin black Brixton Forged R11-R Targa Series wheels with custom carbon vented outer rings.
Exclusive Company
Not just anyone has the means to pick up a McLaren, and even fewer can fathom the thought of plunking down an additional $100,000 to make it the dream build you see before you. Part of the 1016 offer is exclusivity. Only 30 coupe and 16 Spyder model kits will be sold, and we’ve been assured that notion is fortified. Buyers can choose between traditional carbon fiber weave and a more modern forged carbon design, in the off chance that your neighbor or buddy takes the same route with their McLaren.
1016 tries to maintain domestic sources for materials necessary to produce the brand’s various components, and purchases necessary goods on a six months lead time. His brand has doubled in size every year of operation, so if this is your first encounter, you can trust that it likely won’t be your last. The company and founder’s goals are auspicious, and we look forward to the team working toward creating a complete car of their own.
What About The Urus?
While we had a chance to corral these two McLarens from 1016 Industries RDB LA, which is one of the select groups authorized to install 1016 products. The store had this Lamborghini on hand which features a similar 1016 Industries’ Urus Vision widebody kit to what’s featured on the 720S and 765LT.
Using the same processes applied to the rest of the brand’s line up, the fenders on this Urus jut out an additional 120 mm. A seamless transition from the stock body to its newfound arches, toned down with slick side skirts, offers a bolder look without straying too far from Lamborghini’s initial design. A sculpted, vented and color matched hood and carbon fiber mirror caps adapt to a series of intricate bumper trim pieces on the front fascia, while a diffuser is added to the rear. RDB LA has already completed over two-dozen Urus Vision conversions; evidence that 1016’s taste and quality is also a great match with your Lamborghini and a nice conclusion to Northrop’s first inspiration.
Keyword: Cool Losers: Special McLaren Widebodies Drop 300 LBS on Carbon Diet