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McLaren just unveiled their latest supercar creation, the $1.7 million Elva, that has no roof and no windows. Not even a windscreen. Even Speed Racer’s Mach 5 had a dang windscreen.
According to McLaren, however, the Elva doesn’t need one. The open-cockpit two-seater celebrates the Bruce McLaren-designed 1960s McLaren-Elva sportscars, and they didn’t have any windows, so why not?
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McLaren’s new Active Air Management System (AAMS) “channels air through the nose of the Elva to come out of the front clamshell at high velocity ahead of the occupants before being directed up over the cockpit to create a relative ‘bubble’ of calm.”
Pretty cool, but the really cool part is that it only really kicks in at high speed, which, this being a McLaren, is bound to happen sooner or later.
“At urban speeds, when the level of airflow into the cabin means the AAMS is not needed, the system is inactive. As vehicle speed increases, the AAMS automatically deploys and remains active until speed reduces, at which point the deflector retracts. The system can also be button-deactivated by the driver.”
But… “What if the car flips over on its lid?” asked Kevin Hart, probably.
McLaren has that situation, unlike the cockpit of the Elva roadster, covered, with a deployable roll-over protection system with sensors that detect when the car is getting ready to go ass over tea kettle.
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The Elva is the lightest road car McLaren Automotive has ever produced thanks to it’s razor-thin carbon fiber chassis and carbon ceramic brakes.
That lack of weight will be beautifully utlized by the Elva’s 804 horsepower, twin-turbocharged McLaren V8 which will take the roadster from 0 to 62 mph in under three seconds and 0 to 124 mph in just 6.7 seconds, faster than the McLaren Senna.
“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 epitomizes that pioneering spirit. 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,” Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive said in a statement.
Only 399 of the McLaren Elvas will be made available for sale, starting at $1,690,000 with delivery expected at the end of 2020, which means that also like the Senna, it won’t be available for very long.
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