Limited-Edition McLaren Elva is the brand's latest Ultimate Series model

McLaren's latest creation, called the Elva, joins the Senna GTR, Speedtail, Senna & the P1 in McLaren's Ultimate Series; rivals the likes of the Ferrari Monza SP2.

McLaren has introduced yet another new chapter in its Ultimate Series of supercars. After giving us the P1, Senna, Speedtail and the track-only Senna GTR, McLaren now takes it up a notch with the all-new open-cockpit extreme roadster, the Elva. The name Elva pays homage to the Bruce McLaren-designed McLaren-Elva M1A sports car of the 1960s. Like its spiritual predecessor, the Elva offers next-level open-top motoring experience, thanks to no roof, no windshield & no side windows. However, to enjoy this heightened driving pleasure, prospective customers will have to cough up close to 1.43 million pounds and only 399 units will be up for grabs. So, think of the Elva as more of a collector's toy.

Powering the McLaren Elva is the same 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that powers the Senna & Senna GTR. In the Elva, the motor churns out 804bhp & 800Nm torque. In comparison, the V12-powered Monza SP2 puts out only 5bhp more and 81Nm less torque! That's quite an achievement for the Elva with four cylinders less! The power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed seamless-shift gearbox. Thanks to a super-light carbon-fibre architecture (chassis, body, carbon-ceramic brakes & even the seats), the Elva claims to have a 0-100km/h time of 'under three seconds' and a 0-200km/h time of just 6.7 seconds, making it quicker to 200km/h than the Senna! In fact, McLaren claims the Elva is its lightest road car to date, although the Woking-based marque has not released an official weight figure.

To compensate for the missing windscreen, McLaren has fitted the Elva with a world-first Active Air Management System (AAMS). The system channels air through the nose of the Elva to come out of the front clamshell at high speed, ahead of the occupants before being directed up over the cockpit. This creates a 'bubble' around the cockpit, thereby protecting the occupants at high speeds. While the AAMS can be deactivated by the driver, at urban speeds, the system remains inactive by default and it automatically comes to life when the vehicle speed increases. However, those customers not open to the idea of a windscreen-less supercar can opt for the windscreen-fitted derivative.

As stated above, the Elva is all about supreme weight-saving measures and maximum performance. Apart from the major bits showcasing carbon-fibre in their construction, the Elva gets massive 390mm sintered carbon-ceramic discs, titanium brake calliper pistons, an Inconel and titanium quad-exit exhaust and super-grippy Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres for top-notch performance. To provide maximum feedback while driving, the Elva is also fitted with a linked-hydraulic active suspension and an electro-hydraulic steering.

The McLaren Elva is available to commission & deliveries are expected to begin towards the end of 2020.

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