McLaren Elva

The McLaren Elva is a limited-production mid-engine sports car manufactured by McLaren Automotive.[1] The car is the fifth addition in the McLaren Ultimate Series, joining the F1, the P1, Senna, and the Speedtail.[2] The open-top sports car is inspired by the open top racers cars developed by Bruce McLaren in the 1960s.[3]

McLaren Elva
Overview
ManufacturerMcLaren Automotive
Production2020
AssemblyEngland: Woking, Surrey
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door speedster
LayoutRear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
PlatformMonoCage III carbon fibre monocoque
DoorsDihedral
RelatedMcLaren 720S
Powertrain
Engine4.0 L M840TR twin-turbocharged V8
Power output815 PS (599 kW; 804 hp)
800 N⋅m (590 lb⋅ft)
Transmission7-speed dual-clutch

Nomenclature

The name Elva means "she goes!" in French. The car is named after the lightweight early open top race cars developed by Bruce McLaren. The M1A, M1B and M1C were produced between 1964 and 1967. Due to limited staff, production was outsourced to British automobile manufacturer Elva.[4][5]

Specifications

Rear

Being the company's first open top road-legal sports car, the Elva is claimed to be the lightest sports car ever produced by McLaren though the actual kerb weight is yet to be announced. The car's entire body work is made of carbon fibre including the chassis, doors and seats in order to keep the weight low. The brake rotors, which are shared with the Senna measure more than 390 mm (15 in). Weight savings of about 1 kg (2.2 lb) is achieved over the Senna's brake rotors by the usage of titanium brake calipers. A carbon fibre spar runs the entire length of the interior which supports the arm rest of the seats, a variety of controls and separates the driver and passenger.

A six-point racing harness is optional for customers who want to take the car for track day driving. For protection against roll-over crashes, a deployable roll-over protection system is included as standard. The optional audio system has marine-grade speakers for protection against adverse weather conditions. The interior features a severally mounted touch screen to control most of the car's functions. Although the Elva has no windshield or windows, a front windshield will be added for the cars intended for the US market.

The McLaren Air Active Management System (AAMS) channels airflow through the car's nose from an inlet in the splitter and directs it at a radius of 130-degrees in front of the occupants (called "oasis of calm" by McLaren).[6] This system activates at speeds up to 40 km/h (25 mph) where airflow and overall noise are high to create a comfort zone over the occupants.[7] The system can be turned off whilst track driving so that the air channeled through the nose is sent to the engine instead. The Elva also features an active rear spoiler which also acts as an air-brake thus seeing the braking force load with the brakes. A flat undercarriage also helps in improving aerodynamics.

The front clamshell is a major part of the aerodynamics package of the car. While it's an integral part of the AAMS, it also features two air intakes at the front of each door which directs air to the car's dual intercoolers mounted in front of each rear wheel.

The 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 rated at 815 PS (599 kW; 804 hp) and 800 N⋅m (590 lb⋅ft) of torque is shared with the Senna and the Speedtail and is the most powerful variant of McLaren's V8 engine. The engine is fitted with a flat-plane crankshaft, low-mass reciprocating components and a dry-sump lubrication system. The exhaust system is made from titanium and inconel while the exhaust tips are of a quad type and are 3D-printed. The Elva also features a full-time suspension and an electro-hydraulic steering to improve handling. The car will be built to customer specifications by McLaren's MSO department.[2][8][9][10][11]

Performance and production

The Elva can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than three seconds and to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 6.7 seconds. Production was to be limited to 399 units with customer deliveries scheduled to begin in late 2020.[12][13] On April 3, 2020, McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt announced the production total would be reduced to 249 units,[14][15] citing customer feedback encouraging exclusivity as the force behind the decision.[16][17]

References

  1. Duff, Mike (13 November 2019). "McLaren Elva Is a $1.69 Million Toy with No Windshield". Car and Driver. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  2. Cole, Craig (13 November 2019). "McLaren Elva roadster is a worthy successor to the Senna". CNET. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  3. Valdes-Dapena, Peter (13 November 2019). "McLaren unveils $1.7 million supercar with no roof and a windshield made of air". CNN Business. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  4. Attwood, James (13 November 2019). "McLaren Elva revealed as 804bhp Ultimate Series roadster". Autocar. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  5. "This is driver. At road. At one - Elva". cars.mclaren.com. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  6. Admin (2020-02-17). "How the McLaren Active Air Management System in the 2020 McLaren Elva Works". McLaren Chicago. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  7. Silvestro, Brian (2019-11-19). "How the McLaren Elva's Invisible Windshield Works". Road & Track. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  8. Dobie, Stephen (13 November 2019). "The £1.4m Elva is McLaren's lightest ever road car". Top Gear. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  9. Moldrich, Curtis (13 November 2019). "McLaren Elva: an 800bhp roadster with Senna DNA". Car. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  10. Dapena, Peter Valdes (14 November 2019). "McLaren unveils $1.7 million supercar with no roof and a windshield made of air". CNN. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  11. Silvestro, Brian (19 November 2019). "How the McLaren Elva's Invisible Windshield Works". Car & Driver. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  12. Banks, Nargees (13 November 2019). "McLaren's $1.8m Elva Is The First Roadster In The Ultimate Series". Forbes. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  13. Silvestro, Brian (13 November 2019). "2020 McLaren Elva Is an 804-HP Roofless Twin-Turbo V-8 Weapon". Road & Track. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  14. "How McLaren's boss went from a flop to the fast lane". Australian Financial Review. 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  15. Tsui, Chris. "Open-Air McLaren Elva Hypercar Production Slashed in the Name of Exclusivity". The Drive. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  16. "McLaren Elva production cut from 399 units to 249". Autoblog. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
  17. McLaren. "McLaren Elva To Be More Exclusive As Production Run Will Be Cut". Motor1.com. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
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