British supercar manufacturer McLaren Automotive has introduced MSO LAB — which comes from the company’s in-house bespoke division McLaren Special Operations (MSO) — as part of its metaverse strategy.
McLaren Automotive (formerly known as McLaren Cars, which was founded in 1985) is based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. Its main products are supercars (such as the $2 million McLaren Elva), which are “produced in-house in designated production facilities.” McLaren Automotive became a wholly-owned subsidiary of McLaren Group in July 2017.
McLaren Automotive calls MSO LAB “the creative umbrella” for all of its “first-phase NFT releases and an ongoing series of drops and collections.”
MSO LAB will enable the supercar maker to “embrace new digital dynamics, exploring the future of performance in automotive and beyond through collaborations with brands, creatives, artists, technologists and innovators.”
MSO LAB’s first non-fungible token (NFT) collection, which will be launched in the next couple of weeks, is called Genesis Collection, and it will be minted on Ethereum. Holding a Genesis Collection NFT will “unlock Category One membership to MSO LAB, unlocking behind-the-scenes access, members-only airdrops, design sketches, exclusive rewards, early access to future NFT drops and more.” The British company says “becoming a member of the MSO LAB community, for which McLaren customers will be prioritised, means exclusive access to unique utilities and benefits.”
According to the press release McLaren Automotive issued on April 28, here are a few benefits of MSO Lab membership:
- “access to member-only channels and interaction with McLaren Automotive and MSO teams“
- “guaranteed access to future drops”
- “a behind-the-scenes virtual tour of McLaren Technology Centre“
- “the chance to attend McLaren Automotive events“
McLaren NFTs will be “available on the McLaren marketplace, supported by InfiniteWorld as McLaren Automotive’s recently announced metaverse partner.”
Gareth Dunsmore, who was appointed as Chief Marketing Officer of McLaren Automotive on 15 March 2021, had this to say:
“I am delighted to be able to finally pull the covers off the MSO LAB digital community which we have created as a new way to interact with customers and fans in the Web3 universe. McLaren Special Operations is McLaren Automotive’s in-house bespoke division so it is entirely fitting that MSO LAB will be our home where we collaborate in the metaverse and push the limits of possibility and design unencumbered by physical constraints.
“We will soon unveil our first Genesis Collection from MSO LAB drop which will be an invite-only, ultra-limited, randomised mint set to feature one of the most storied cars in our history.“
Now, if you are wondering how you will be able to buy one of McLaren Automotive NFTs, here is some information from the FAQ section of their website:
“Our first NFT Collection will be available via an invite-only model. Those who own a physical McLaren Automotive car and are signed up to the McLaren Automotive mailing list will gain immediate access to Phase 1, with Phase 2 access opening to specially invited individuals 48 hours later. McLaren Automotive NFTs follow the ERC-721 standard and will be minted on the Ethereum blockchain. At the time of minting, the user will be able to select what wallet address the NFTs will be minted to.
“Once those who have been invited are registered for the allowlist, you’ll be sent a unique code along with instructions on how to access the marketplace. This is where you can buy McLaren Automotive NFTs once the Collection goes live…
“For those who do not receive an invite to the Genesis Collection mint, there will be future public McLaren Automotive drops that you can be a part of.“
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed by the author, or any people mentioned in this article, are for informational purposes only, and they do not constitute financial, investment, or other advice. Investing in or trading cryptoassets comes with a risk of financial loss.
Image Credit
Featured Image Courtesy of McLaren Automotive
