The Elva speedster is dedicated to the sports car of the same name of the 1960s
McLaren’s Ultimate Series includes a two-seater 815-horsepower supercar with an open cockpit and no windshield. The lightest road car in the history of the British brand, named after a 1960s racing prototype, is made entirely of carbon fiber and features the world’s first active airflow control system.
Like all McLaren models, the Elva is built around a carbon monocoque. The body panels of the supercar are also made of carbon fiber: for example, the front part is a single piece only 1.2 millimeters thick, the side panels are three meters long bending from the front wheels to the rear spoiler, even the doors with a single hinge are made entirely of composite. At the same time, speaking of “the lightest road car in its history”, McLaren does not yet indicate the actual mass.
The sports car was equipped with a V8 4.5 Oldsmobile (345 hp) and a suspension that was revolutionary for the 1960s. After a successful performance at the Canadian SportsCar Grand Prix (third overall and best lap time), McLaren was unable to keep up with the growing demand and Elva Cars began producing replicas of the M1A.
The use of carbon fiber made it possible to implement a complex design technique – a spectacular “overflow” of doors and fairings into the cockpit. McLaren has made a center tunnel out of carbon fiber with buttons for shifting transmission modes, a seat frame, and a luggage compartment in the rear. Elva’s chairs are shorter than regular ones; they can be upholstered in leather or Ultrafabric, a synthetic fabric consisting of four layers, including a wear-resistant rayon fiber.
Inside the McLaren speedster, there is a digital dashboard with buttons for switching driving modes and disabling stabilization, placed on its edges – this is the first time the company uses such a solution. The center display, turned towards the driver, has a diagonal of eight inches and is fixed on a carbon “leg”. It uses a new interface and jogs dial, similar to the digital crown of the Apple Watch. The screen displays navigation data, a telemetry complex, a picture from a rearview camera, and air conditioning settings.
The speedster has storage space for two helmets. And also fans of track days can order six-point seat belts.
The McLaren Elva does not come with an audio system by default, but it can be installed at no additional cost. Free options also include five-spoke super-light forged aluminum wheels, Pirelli P Zero Corsa track tires, and an elevator system. MSO’s extensive personalization program includes white gold or platinum with a forged TPT composite from Richard Mille and debuted on the Speedtail and a 24K gold engine compartment heat shield.
New to the model is the world’s first Active Air Management System (AAMS). The air is accelerated through the central opening above the splitter and then “thrown out” above the cockpit, creating a kind of “bubble”. This is achieved due to the carbon fiber deflector on the hood, which rises by 150 millimeters and creates a zone of reduced pressure in the ventilation slot. AAMS works in fully automatic mode, but it is possible to turn it off with a button in the cabin.
AAMS is also involved in cooling the low-temperature intercoolers in front of the front wheels, as well as the high-temperature radiators that cool the engine. The rear active spoiler works in tandem with the AAMS; it varies in height, angle and can act as an air brake, complementing brakes with sintered carbon-ceramic rotors and titanium piston calipers.
The overhead exhaust system of the speedster is made of titanium and Inconel; the tips are also titanium, but 3D printed. Suspension – active hydraulic; power steering – electro-hydraulic.
At the rear behind the seats is a 4.0-liter V8 with twin turbochargers. The engine with a flat crankshaft and a dry-sump lubrication system produces 815 forces and 800 Nm of torque and is paired with a seven-stage preselective “robot”. From zero to “hundred” Elva accelerates in less than three seconds, to 200 kilometers per hour – in 6.7 seconds. According to the last indicator, the speedster turned out to be better than the track Senna.
The price of the McLaren Elva in the UK will be £ 1,425,000 (RUB 117.7 million) including VAT. The model is homologated for all key markets and includes a fixed windshield.