How often do you see a $1.7 million supercar? The answer is just about never. The more important question floating around is, "what makes a car worth such an outrageous price tag?" Many supercars in the past have held their value, such as the Bugatti Chiron with a re-worked quad-turbocharged 8.0 Liter W16 producing a ridiculous 1500 Horses, or a Koenigsegg One hitting 0-186 mph in just 10.9 seconds, but what makes the 2021 McLaren Elva different from the rest?
It's not every day that we see a car without a roof or windshield, especially not one almost a couple million dollars! There has got to be a reason deeper than the brand and the fact that it is a supercar. Otherwise, this new model of the McLaren has been extremely overvalued and very much underdelivered!
Let's take a deep dive into 8 features of the McLaren Elva that separate it from the rest of the pack.
8 Active Air Management System
Let's address the elephant in the room. Where the heck is the windshield, and why would anyone ever ride in a supercar that has zero protection from high speeds?!
Actually, zero protection would be incorrect, the Elva comes equipped with a fascinating AAMS that is designed to create an invisible forcefield around the cockpit. Sounds pretty cool right? That's because it is. The built-in pop-up vent located at the front of the Elva acts as a high-powered air suction system, harnessing the blunt of wind resistance and launching it overhead of the driver. Thus you have a virtual windscreen! The only downside is activation occurs around 25 mph and is not performed at idol or slower speeds. However, this unique method of protection actually works and gives the driver a greater experience of being fully immersed in Elva and what it can do on the road!
7 Carbon Fiber Body Pieces
Something definitely worth mentioning about the new McLaren Elva is the fact that the body features minimal cutlines. Looking like something sculpted by the Greek Gods, the Elva is a master of aerodynamics! Unlike many other cars you see today, including supercars, you won't find a multitude of body pieces collectively placed to form the entirety of the vehicle. Based on the photo, you can see how the Elva has just a few large carbon fiber pieces that mold impeccable shapes and designs, creating the overall sleek look of the vehicle. This greatly backs the complexity of the build!
6 Light-weight Build
Incredibly, the Elva is by far the lightest McLaren road car ever built to date. Packing more horsepower than a Senna while weighing 88lbs less, this thing is a monster on the streets not to be trifled with! The carbon fiber skin has much to do with this, as it measures just 0.05 inches in thickness at the nose and stretches from end-to-end of the vehicle to maximize coverage. What McLaren has done is pulled away from their original thought process when constructing the Elva, and created a minimalistic work of mastery!
5 Interior Perfection
A flawless interior would be an understatement. This supercar was built with exceptional detail in mind. From the newly developed ultra fabric, low-heat, vegan leather seats to the full use of 4-layer protection and moisture resistant materials, this interior was made specifically to battle the challenges of the surrounding environments.
Additionally, a large portion of the controls were re-routed to the adjustable instrument cluster, cleverly supporting the minimalist approach.
4 Hightech Navigation Screen
The 8-inch infotainment system is suspended from a carbon fiber arm, angled towards the driver for a more catered feel. Being that the infotainment screen was purpose-built to be the main interface, McLaren customized it to run multiple applications at once, all easily accessible and visible. An option for a bespoke sound setup is included free of charge if the driver so chooses.
3 Detailed Components
Talk about attention to detail! Looking inside the Elva, you will notice just how much care and precision was put into crafting it. From the thick-cut aluminum air vents to the refined aluminum shift paddles, McLaren took it to a new level and made every component it's own and unique to the Elva.
A perfectly molded compartment space behind the seats is fitted for your race helmet, and every gear and switch is stunning with originality.
2 Exterior-Interior Flows
The Elva was strategically built to blur the lines between Exterior and Interior, creating one smooth flow of the vehicle. When sitting in the cockpit, the very exterior paint and material of the supercar are placed right in front of you, making for a very cool effect.
This is not a common theme that you see in supercars, and can be somewhat euphoric to the passengers while traveling down winding roads.
1 Performance & Power Metrics
Now we get to the numbers! The McLaren Elva produces an astounding 804 horsepower with a whopping 0-60 time of 3.0 seconds, topping off at 203 mph. To put it lightly, that is no slow car, especially for an open cockpit!
Everything about this work of art puts it in a class of its own, traveling down a different path than all other supercars you see today. The McLaren Elva is a dream, that leaves you with an unexplainable feelings, and memories that will last forever.