Gear -- 7 days ago
Bowers & Wilkins’s iconic earbuds get the McLaren treatment
The latest collaboration from long-term kindred spirits Bowers & Wilkins and McLaren fuses cutting-edge technology with super-sleek design
Words: Gentleman's Journal
It is widely accepted that Woking-based automotive company McLaren is responsible for designing and building some of the most spectacular supercars in history – from 1993’s legendary McLaren F1 road car, built around a carbon fibre chassis, to the McLaren Artura Spider, which was launched in early 2024 as the brand’s first high-performance hybrid convertible. It follows, then, that such boundary-breaking vehicles be fitted with technology of an equal calibre.
Enter Bowers & Wilkins, a British brand that has been at the forefront of high-performance audio technology since its inception in 1966. It has been a proud partner of McLaren for a decade, responsible for developing the high-performance audio systems found in McLaren’s supercars. This includes the cutting-edge audio system installed in the McLaren W1, the company’s new high-performance supercar. Developed at the Bowers & Wilkins’s Southwater research and development centre, the system includes the highly advanced Continuum Cone, as featured in the brand’s flagship 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers.
Oscar Piastri
The long-term relationship between McLaren and Bowers & Wilkins is built on firm technical foundations and fuelled by a mutual pursuit of perfection. Both teams work closely together to create and optimise systems that adhere to the precision and performance demanded in Formula 1 racing. Cutting corners is not an option.
Bowers & Wilkins may be a beloved brand steeped in heritage and history, but as the Official Audio Partner of McLaren, it is reaching a new audience of F1 fans. Its award-winning Pi8 wireless earbuds have recently been given the McLaren treatment, combining the high-performance sound quality synonymous with Bowers & Wilkins with a sleek design that connects fans of McLaren cars and F1 to the visual identity of the McLaren brand.
Lando Norris
The Pi8 McLaren Edition fuses all the features that the original design is known for – reference-standard hi-res audio performance, premium materials, exceptional comfort and fit, and enhanced connectivity and features – with a new sleek McLaren-inspired look, complete with an iconic Galvanic Grey and Papaya orange finish.
Of this exciting new collaboration, Giles Pocock, Vice President of Brand Marketing at Bowers & Wilkins, says, “We are thrilled to collaborate with the McLaren team once again. This reimagining of our award-winning earbuds elevates our long-term partnership even further by combining the unmistakable design DNA of McLaren with our industry-leading audio products to create an attention-grabbing version of our Pi8. We’re excited to see how it’s received by Bowers & Wilkins and McLaren fans alike.”
