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McLaren launches Special Operations unit for customers' custom requests

British sports-car maker McLaren has launched its Special Operations unit, which will help the company's well-heeled buyers customize their cars. McLaren previewed some handiwork from the new division at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, with a custom example of the MP4-12C. The customized sports car had a variety of carbon-fiber trim upgrades and special treatment such as unique orange paintwork, a gloss-black roof, diamond-cut-finish wheels with gloss-back inners, 12C-branded carbon sill panels, a carbon steering wheel and carbon-fiber cover vents for the engine.

Build your Mini Cooper Hardtop

We suspect that your initial inclination upon the discovery of a new model's configurator is to throw gobs and gobs of equipment at a car to see just how high the price will go. After all, that's what we tend to do. It's especially satisfying with German automakers — notably Porsche and BMW — who seem to have turned option pricing into something bordering on absurdist theatre.

Museum benefactor Margie Petersen dies

Margie Petersen, wife of automotive publishing magnate Robert E. "Pete" Petersen and the driving force behind many of the couple's generous philanthropies, died Nov. 25 after a decades-long battle with breast cancer.