The McLaren Elva recently made its debut in Malaysia at the McLaren Kuala Lumpur showroom, arriving as the windscreen variant that was revealed globally last May. When the Elva was first introduced in November 2019, the British carmaker said only 399 units would be built, although this figure has since been revised to 149 units.
As a result, the Elva is one of the most exclusive models in McLaren’s Ultimate Series, second only to the Speedtail that is limited to 106 units. Other cars in the Ultimate Series include the P1 and Senna, but the Elva is special as it is a speedster and competes against other similar models like the Ferrari Monza as well as the Aston Martin V12 Speedster.
Being a speedster, there’s no windscreen, roof, side windows or rear screen, although this particular Elva is optioned with a windscreen. McLaren says the windscreen variant is not just for owners who prefer to have a physical windscreen, but also to ensure the Elva is road-legal in certain states in the United States.
The windscreen variant is said to be about 20 kg heavier than the standard Elva, which is already quite a lightweight with a DIN kerb weight of 1,269 kg. The option includes some luxuries like rain-sensing wipers, washer jets and sun visors to go along with the primary heated glass windscreen set within a carbon-fibre surround.
Unlike a windscreen-less Elva, there’s Active Air Management System (AAMS) in play as it no longer serves a purpose. The AAMS channels air through the Elva’s front end to exit at the top of its clamshell at high velocity, directed upwards over the cockpit to create a relatively calm “bubble” for the occupants. The system also involves a carbon-fibre deflector positioned at the bonnet outlet that raises and lowers vertically – rising as high as 150 mm – into the airstream to create a low-pressure zone.
Besides more glass ahead of the driver, both versions of the Elva (with or without the windscreen) are identical mechanically. A mid-mounted 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 churns out 815 PS and 800 Nm of torque, with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sending driver to the rear wheels. This setup is good for a 0-100 km/h time of less than three seconds.
The looks, performance and rarity comes at quite a cost, as the Elva has a base price of 1.425 million British pounds (around RM8.1 million). Keep in mind that the price doesn’t include taxes or even options – the windscreen comes at a cost.
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