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McLaren's Elva Roadster Finally Gets A Windscreen

British sportscar manufacturer, McLaren, has finally unveiled the windscreen version of the two-seater Elva Roadster. The Elva was originally launched back in 2019 without a windscreen and it celebrated the legacy of the Bruce McLaren-designed 1960s McLaren-Elva sportscars that not only incorporated the brand’s pioneering design but also its engineering principles.

The new Elva Roadster is McLaren’s lightest ever road-legal sports car, thanks to the lightweight carbon-fibre chassis and body, the unique carbon-fibre seats, carbon-ceramic brakes, no roof and no windows. This overall combination of lightweight components and no windows/roof will provide the driver with an incredibly immersive and thrilling experience. The overall weight of the car is around 1,300 kgs, making it just 20 kgs heavier than the previous no-windscreen model.

McLaren also offers the Elva without a windscreen, this is because the brand has created a world-first technology called Active Air Management System (AAMS). This advanced system shelters occupants by manipulating airflow while retaining their connection to the main elements while driving at high speeds. However, if some customers still want a windscreen, they can now purchase the latest model by paying a small premium on the standard price. In terms of design, the car is heavily based on McLaren’s new and unique ‘blurred boundaries’ design concept, which gets a carbon-fibre bodywork.

Talking about performance, the Elva roadster gets a twin-turbocharged V8 that produces around 815PS, which is capable enough to propel the car from 0 to 100 kmph in just three seconds, while 0 to 200 kmph can be achieved much quicker than the McLaren Senna, at just 6.7 seconds. Apart from this, the car is fitted with an Inconel and Titanium quad-exit exhaust that delivers a unique soundtrack, while enhancing engine power by reducing back pressure. The Elva also gets McLaren’s active aerodynamics kit, a state-of-the-art linked-hydraulic active suspension and electro-hydraulic steering for accurate feedback. Only 149 units of the Elva will be built and deliveries will start by the end of this year.

“Our mission with the McLaren Elva was to create an open-cockpit, two-seat roadster that delivers the most elemental of driving experiences. 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.”, said Rob Melville, Design Director, McLaren Automotive

“Super-lightweight and extremely powerful, the Elva delivers the ultimate connection between a driver, the road and the elements. Created to celebrate the pure joy of driving, it’s one of the most distinctive – and exclusive – cars we have made. Roofless and without windows, whether you opt for the screenless model with its sophisticated AAMS technology that provides an invisible barrier of air, or the windscreen version with an additional level of enclosure, this is a roadster that rewards owners with the most exhilarating of open-air driving experiences delivered as only a McLaren can.” said, Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive


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