mclaren reveals 'elva' supercar with no roof, windows or windshield

mclaren has unveiled its new ultimate series roadster, the elva. featuring an open-cockpit two-seater with no roof, no windows and no windshield, the supercar adds a new dimension to the range-topping lineage.

the elva name celebrates the renowned bruce mclaren-designed 1960s mclaren-elva sportscars, which embodied british manufacturer’s pioneering design and engineering principles. its also the brand’s lightest road car yet with a bespoke carbon fibre chassis and body, unique carbon fibre seats and sintered carbon-ceramic brakes.

the low nose and pronounced front fender peaks provide visual drama and at the same time enhance forward vision. large, carbon fibre rear fenders flow from the front of the door to the rear deck, while the height of the twin rear buttresses is minimised by using a deployable roll-over protection system.

‘our mission with the mclaren elva was to create an open-cockpit, two-seat roadster that delivers the most elemental of driving experiences,’ rob melville, design director, mclaren automotive.

‘formula 1-inspired shrink-wrapped volumes create a technical sculpture that is as striking as it is remarkable, the exterior flowing into the interior in a stunning example of a new and unique mclaren ‘blurred boundaries’ design principle that has allowed us to seamlessly bring the outside in, to further enhance driver engagement while remaining true to our philosophy of making no compromises.’

a 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged v8 engine from the same family that powers the senna and senna GTR gives the superlight impressive performance across the board. with 815 ps, elva can reach 0-100km/h in under three seconds; 0-200km/h quicker than the senna, at just 6.7 seconds.

mclaren states that helmets can be worn if preferred, but the form and sculpture of the upper cabin wraps around the driver and passenger to provide a secure environment. a fixed windscreen derivative of the car is also available for most markets as a factory option. like its p1tm, senna and speedtail predecessors, volume of the new mclaren elva will be strictly limited. only 399 have been offered for customer order from $1,690,000.

‘mclaren continues to push the boundaries of supercar and hypercar development in pursuit of outstanding and unparalleled driving experiences for our customers and the mclaren elva epitomises that pioneering spirit,’ says mike flewitt, ceo of mclaren automotive. ‘the mclaren-elva m1a [mk1] and its successors are in many ways the true spiritual forerunners of today’s mclarens – superlight, mid-engined cars with the highest levels of performance and dynamic excellence.’

‘it’s fitting that the new mclaren ultimate series roadster – a uniquely modern car that delivers the ultimate connection between driver, car and the elements and with that new heights of driving pleasure on road or track – acknowledges our rich heritage with the elva name.’