CARS OF THE WORLD

McLaren Elva 2021.

The McLaren Elva 2021 is an ultralight car.
McLaren has unveiled a previously promised open car that is both powerful and very lightweight.

It received the name McLaren Elva, associated with the name of a historic model of the brand. The newcomer is set in motion by a twin-turbo-eight 4.0 with a return of 815 hp. and 800 N • m.

This is a variation of the engine used in the McLaren Senna and Senna GTR models, with a flat crankshaft, lightweight connecting rods and pistons, and a dry sump lubrication system.

The body of the open McLaren is made of carbon fiber, the seats are also made of the same material, and the brakes here are carbon-ceramic with titanium calipers and discs with a diameter of 390 mm.

In principle, there is no roof, windshield and side windows, but a tiny semblance of a windshield can be supplied as an option.

Traction to the rear wheels goes through a seven-speed «robot».

The mass of the model has not yet been revealed (we assume less than a ton), although the British definitely write that this is the lightest road model in the history of the brand.

But the manufacturer has disclosed preliminary data on the dynamics.

Elva accelerates from zero to a hundred in less than three seconds, and here the newcomer is comparable to ideologically similar models, the 810-horsepower Ferrari Monza SP2 and the 436-horsepower Lotus 3-Eleven 430 (2.9 s and 3.2 s, respectively).

Elva completes the 0-200 km / h exercise in 6.7 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds faster than the McLaren Senna coupe. For comparison, Monza has 7.9 seconds.

The main attraction of a low open car, as defined by the firm, is «the cleanest driving experience.»

The salon assumes travel both with helmets and without. Retractable arcs are responsible for safety during a coup.

Also interesting is the high-resolution touchscreen with a side control wheel and a new multitasking interface.

The innovative McLaren Active Air Management System (AAMS), which draws air in the nose of the roadster (above the splitter) and ejects it in front of the cockpit through a system of carbon fiber blades on the hood, relieves the annoying wind in the face of the driver and passenger.

She directs a precisely calculated invisible veil over the heads of the riders.

The AAMS device has a movable baffle that sleeps while the speed is low, but activates as the speed increases.

The AAMS system can also be turned off with the button. At the same time, its internal channel is blocked, which directs more air to the series of car radiators.

The general idea of ​​the AAMS is similar to the air curtain in the Pininfarina Sergio concept, but there it was passive and unregulated.

The background of the current Elva is as follows. In the 1960s, brand founder Bruce McLaren developed a «client» open-top version of the mid-engined race car called the McLaren M1A, with a steel tubular frame reinforced with magnesium alloy parts, a composite body and fully independent suspension with adjustable springs and dampers.

The model received a V8 4.5 engine with 344 hp and weighed only 551 kg. In 1964, this car entered the Canadian Sports Car Grand Prix race, the predecessor of the Can-Am series, finished third and set a lap record along the way.

The car features a lightweight Inconel and titanium exhaust system that gives the roadster its own unique sound.

The car also uses active aerodynamics (spoiler with controlled angle of attack and lift height) and active hydraulic suspension with several modes.

Customer demand for the McLaren M1A was so high that the then tiny firm could not meet it. Then it was decided to give the release of the roadster to an outside company.

We agreed with British Elva Cars. This is how the McLaren-Elva M1A [Mk I] was born, which later grew into the McLaren-Elva M1B [Mk II], and then the McLaren-Elva M1C [Mark III].

The principles laid down in these machines (form follows content, minimum weight, any detail appears for its own reason) are applied in the new Elva.

For the sake of so calling its «ultimate» roadster of the XXI century, McLaren specifically bought the rights to the Elva trademark.

The price of the new Elva in Britain starts at 1,425,000 pounds (117.9 million rubles), in other markets it will be determined separately.

At the same time, the customer still has the opportunity to personalize the car with a variety of design details and accessories from the McLaren Special Operations division.

So we will not see two completely identical roadsters. A total of 399 copies will be made.