No Windshield, No Problem: The New Mclaren Elva (Pics Inside)

Mclaren pulls the covers off their $1.8 million speedster, the latest addition to their Ultimate Series.

Mclaren wants you to forget about the Ferrari Monza and look at their new speedster, dubbed the Elva. It was named after, and inspired by, the road going versions of Bruce Mclaren’s original race cars from back in the ’60s. Mclaren says that with the Elva they have created the purest possible driving experience.

Powering the windowless Elva is a 4.0 liter twin-turbocharged V8 that’ll pump out 800 horsepower, but the most impressive number is by far its weight. While no number has been released yet, Mclaren has said it weighs less than the Senna, which comes in at 3,029 lbs.

Also impressive is Mcalren’s newly developed Active Air Management System (AAMS) uses two sculpted elements to guide airflow over the cabin, creating a turbulence-free zone for the Elva’s occupants—which they say is a world first. It must be a pretty surreal experience to feel the ferocious speed of the Elva, being completely out in the open, all without feeling the wind whipping against you. It’s too bad none of us have the $1.8 million required to experience that. There’s also some active aerodynamics towards the rear with a massive wing—needed to make up for the loss of downforce from removing the windshield. There’s even an auto DRS mode that cuts drag, for all you F1 fans out there.

As you would expect from any hypercar these days, carbon fiber is the dominant material used. Under the Elva is a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, and its utterly stunning bodywork is made up of just three main carbon fiber panels. Truly incredible work by Mclaren that makes the lines of the Elva flow marvelously from every angle.

Mclaren plans on building just 399 of these beauties, with deliveries starting sometime in 2020. It’s too unfortunate the Elva can’t make it to the US, as it’s arguably the best looking Mclaren since the P1, or maybe ever. Thoughts?