The automotive world’s most exclusive hairdryer is currently sitting in McLaren Special Operations’ London facility.
It’s the world’s first and only SLR Roadster HDK—a topless variant of the already rare SLR HDK coupe that transforms a 20-year-old supercar into something entirely more feral.
Gordon Murray’s Ghost Racer Lives Again
McLaren’s SLR HDK program exists because of a stillborn race car.
The original SLR 722 GT was designed by Gordon Murray but never actually competed. MSO resurrected its spirit through the High Downforce Kit, creating just 12 examples—all coupes—for those willing to double their SLR investment.
This Roadster HDK stands alone as the thirteenth and final iteration. The only one without a roof.
Bespoke Brutality With a Price to Match
The HDK transformation isn’t just some bolt-on aero kit and flashy paint. It’s comprehensive mechanical violence that delivers:
- Aggressive widebody treatment with race-inspired aerodynamics
- Completely revised suspension for sharper handling
- Bespoke paint and interior treatments unique to each build
The package literally doubled the price of the original car. MSO isn’t building these for bargain hunters.
One-Off Status for a Beverly Hills Surgeon
According to CarBuzz, this particular masterpiece belongs to Beverly Hills surgeon Dr. Ben Talei, who goes by “Muybenno” on social media.
The doctor’s prescription? Take one German-British supercar collaboration, remove roof, add Gordon Murray-inspired aero, and call MSO in the morning.
His unique roadster is expected to make its public debut sometime in 2025, completing the HDK lineage with its most exclusive member.
The SLR McLaren itself was already automotive royalty—a carbon-fiber bodied, front-mid-engined supercoupe with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 producing 617 horsepower in standard form.
With the HDK treatment, it transforms into something closer to motorsport than grand touring.
The Roadster variant simply adds wind-in-your-hair drama to the experience. And bragging rights no other owner can claim.
For the one person who will possess it, that exclusivity might be worth every penny of its undisclosed—but certainly astronomical—price tag.
