AUTOMOTIVE
The appearance of the McLaren Elva is as
striking and unique as the driving experience.
The low nose and pronounced front fender
peaks provide visual drama and at the same
time enhance forward vision. Large, carbon fibre
rear fenders flow from the front of the door to
the rear deck, while the height of the twin rear
buttresses is minimised by using a deployable
roll-over protection system.
Helmets can be worn if preferred, but the form
and sculpture of the upper cabin wraps around
the driver and passenger to provide a secure
environment. A fixed windscreen derivative of
the car is also available for most markets as a
factory option.
The McLaren-Elva M1A [Mk I] developed into
the McLaren-Elva M1B [Mk II] and then the
McLaren-Elva M1C [Mark III], the cars competing
in privateer hands while in parallel the status of
the McLaren brand grew as it moved towards
becoming a major force in top-level motorsport.
The McLaren-Elva M1B [Mk II] attracted the
attention of American automotive magazine
Road & Track, which in July 1966, declared
it, ‘the fastest car we’ve ever tested (and)
an example of the latest thinking in sports/
racing cars.’ The final iteration of the series, the
McLaren-Elva M1C [Mk III], was introduced in
1967, by which time the McLaren works team
had moved into a new era with the M6A.
“We are delighted to have gained the rights to the Elva name for an extraordinary
new roadster that adds a new dimension to the McLaren Ultimate Series while
tracing its lineage back to the sportscars that laid the foundations for McLaren’s
success. The McLaren-Elva M1A [Mk I] and its immediate successors not only
set standards on the track but also established the pioneering design and
engineering principles that remain at the heart of our brand; what better way to
celebrate that than by bringing the Elva name right up to date.”
Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive
Customer deliveries of the McLaren Elva are scheduled to begin towards the
end of 2020. Additional information about the new Ultimate Series roadster
can be found at cars.mclaren.com/en/ultimate-series/mclaren-elva
Issue 42 2019
The Art of Luxury
21