McLaren Elva
2020–2021 · McLaren Elva — Hypercar, V8 Twin-Turbo, designed by Robert Melville.
The Story
The Elva is McLaren at its most elemental — no roof, and (as standard) no windscreen. It’s the fifth Ultimate Series car, named after the lightweight open-top racers Bruce McLaren built in the 1960s (the M1A/M1B/M1C, whose bodies were outsourced to a firm called Elva). The party trick is the Active Air Management System: a duct in the nose fires high-pressure air up and over the cockpit at speed, forming a “windscreen made of air” so occupants aren’t blasted off their seats.
Underneath is the Senna’s 804 bhp 4.0 V8 in McLaren’s lightest road car, so the Elva pairs hypercar pace with completely unfiltered, open-air sensation. The Intercooler called it the most thrilling McLaren it had driven since the F1.
McLaren planned 399, then 249, and finally built just 149 (a windscreen version was offered for some markets). It’s the rarest kind of McLaren experience: speed with nothing between you and the sky.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Hypercar class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Robert Melville
Succeeded Frank Stephenson as McLaren Design Director (May 2017–2022); previously at GM and Jaguar Land Rover. Oversaw the Ultimate-Series Senna/Speedtail/Elva and the second-gen Super Series.
Studio Motors POV
The Elva is the most extreme open-air experience McLaren sells — no roof, no screen, the Senna’s engine, and 149 worldwide. The market is soft, which makes it the brave collector’s chance at an Ultimate-Series car for relatively sane money.
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Elva
Worth Knowing About the Elva
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1. Named after the 1960s McLaren-Elva sports-racers Bruce McLaren built — their bodies were outsourced to a company called Elva.
- 2. The standard car has no windscreen at all: an Active Air Management System lifts a nose flap above ~28 mph to channel air over the cockpit (a windscreen version was later offered for some markets).
- 3. Planned at 399 units, cut to 249, and finally built as just 149 — one of McLaren's rarest road cars.
- 4. It uses the Senna's 804 bhp M840TR V8 in McLaren's lightest road car.
5 Fast Facts
- 1. 804 bhp from the 4.0L M840TR (the Senna's engine); 0–62 mph in under 3 s.
- 2. Roofless AND (standard) windscreenless — an Active Air Management System replaces the screen.
- 3. Just 149 built (planned 399 → 249 → 149).
- 4. Named after Bruce McLaren's 1960s McLaren-Elva racers.
- 5. Launch ~$1.69M (£1.425M).
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
FLAG: no widely-documented, citable individual owner found for the Elva in this pass — recorded rather than guessed.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Two flavours exist: the pure windscreenless car (the full Elva experience) and the windscreen version offered for some markets — decide which suits you. With only 149 built, provenance and spec define value, and the market is thin and variable. Buy for the experience and the rarity, not as a sure financial play.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- McLaren Elva
- Class
- Hypercar
- Production years
- 2020–2021
- Units built
- 149 (cut from 399 → 249 → 149)
- Variants
- Engine layout
- Mid
- Engine
- V8 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- McLaren M840T (V8)
- Displacement
- 4.0L (3,994 cc)
- Power
- 804 hp
- Torque
- 590 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 2.8 s
- Top speed
- mph
- Power-to-weight
- 633 hp/tonne · 3.5 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 7-Speed Dual-Clutch (SSG)
- Drivetrain
- Rear-Wheel Drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2798 lb
Questions
Elva FAQ
What is the McLaren Elva named after?
The Elva name traces to the lightweight open-top racing cars Bruce McLaren built in the 1960s using Elva chassis — small, wind-in-the-face sports racers that established McLaren’s philosophy of lightness. The road car revives that spirit with no roof and, as standard, no windscreen.
Does the McLaren Elva have a windscreen?
In standard form the Elva has no windscreen. McLaren’s Active Air Management System blows a curtain of air over the cabin to deflect turbulence at speed. A fixed windscreen was later offered as a factory option.
How many McLaren Elvas were built?
McLaren reduced Elva production from an original plan of 399 to 249 to a final 149 units. Sources cite a combination of customer exclusivity, production constraints, and market conditions rather than a single explanation.
How much horsepower does the McLaren Elva produce?
The McLaren Elva produces 804 bhp and 590 lb-ft of torque from a 4.0-litre twin-turbo M840TR V8 — the same high-output unit used in the Senna — in a car weighing under 1,200 kg.
How much is a McLaren Elva worth today?
McLaren Elva values span a wide range — Classic.com data shows recent sale and asking activity from approximately $1.3 million into the $2 million+ range, reflecting very thin market activity across just 149 examples and highly variable bespoke MSO specifications.
Can you lease or finance a McLaren Elva?
Yes. Specialty lenders structure collector-car leases on open-cockpit hypercars including the McLaren Elva.
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