A naked McLaren Senna. McLaren fancied a slice of the super-speedster action, so it dropped the Senna’s 804hp V8 into a carbon bathtub, and said it would build 399. Then 249. Then 149. And to sell them all, it’s now got an optional windshield...
What’s the McLaren Elva's killer feature?
The Elva’s big headline gimmick – the Active Air Management System (AAMS) – is missing from this Elva, because it’s got AGOW (A Good Old-fashioned Windshield). McLaren added it to the options list to apparently help sales in the safety-conscious US, but it’s also perhaps an admission that even the cleverest wind tunnel aero can’t stop billionaire owners taking a botoxed faceful of grit and insects.
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Is the McLaren Elva a good car?
Here's what we said in our original review: "It’s a car full of feeling and feedback, just with utterly uncalled for and outrageous performance. It’s driving in 4D with everything cranked up to 11; you feel the environment around you, sense the chill in the air as the temperature drops, smell the impending rainstorm and hear the loss of traction from the tyres when the droplets start to fall."
Does it deserve to be called one of the greats?
McLaren is in trouble. Its core model, the hybrid Artura, has been badly delayed. The company’s had to seek a cash injection since Covid, and there’s been a CEO change at the top. The Elva seems to summarise Woking’s recent troubles, but so long as the sun stays out, this could be the most exhilarating – and unsung – supercar of recent times.
What are the McLaren Elva's specs?
Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, 804hp, 800Nm
Transmission: 7spd DCT, RWD
Performance: 0-100kph in 2.8 sec, 327kph
Weight: 1289kg (with windshield)
This story first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
