All-new McLaren Elva is a Sexy Roadster With no Roof or Windows

McLaren has just unveiled another new model inspired from the past.

The Elva celebrates Bruce McLaren-designed McLaren-Elva sports cars from the 1960s, starting with the M1A (see photo gallery), an open-cockpit two-seater designed for the track.

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Unlike its predecessors, the 2020 McLaren Elva will be street-legal… even though it has no roof or side windows. The windshield is optional, too.

To prevent wind buffeting from ruining the whole driving experience, the company developed the world’s first Active Air Management System. The system channels air through the nose of the Elva to come out of the front clamshell at high velocity ahead of the occupants before being directed up over the cockpit to create a relative ‘bubble’ of calm.

A Familiar Engine

Proper motivation is delivered by a version of the 4.0-litre V8 engine in the McLaren Senna. A series of tweaks help increase output to 804 horsepower, while torque is still rated at 590 pound-feet.

The Elva sprints from 0-100 km/h in less than three seconds and from 0-200 km/h in 6.7 seconds. Think about those numbers for a moment. Then consider the F1-style, full-width active rear spoiler, the height and angle of which are adjusted simultaneously to optimize aerodynamic balance.

McLaren claims the Elva is the lightest road car the company has ever built, although its exact weight remains unspecified at this point. To give you an idea, the aforementioned Senna tips the scales at just 1,345 kilograms.

Only 399 copies of the new McLaren Elva will be available to order, each one priced from $1,690,000 USD (approx. $2.25 million).