McLaren is offering a windshield on the exclusive Elva roadster for customers who prefer a physical screen. Keep in mind, the Elva’s core appeal was tied up in the fact it lacked a windshield in the first place, so consider this a weird development.
This newly windscreened version of the Elva eliminates McLaren’s clever Active Air Management System (AAMS, which redirected air up and over the open cockpit) and adds 44 pounds but does not hinder performance. The $1.7 million hypercar will still be roofless, without side windows or a rear window. Some states in the U.S. require a windshield, and this option would make the Elva street legal.
The windshield comes equipped with rain-sensing wipers, washer jets, sun visors, and a rearview mirror. It has a carbon fiber surround and is also heated. Opt for the windshield, and you also get a new hood, one without the (now unnecessary) AAMS bits.
A link to the British automaker’s heritage, the two-seat open-air Elva recalls McLaren race cars of the 1960s. The wind-shielded model pictured is a prototype customized by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) in the stunning Satin Casa Blue livery, paying tribute to Bruce McLaren’s legendary race cars.
Windshield or not, the McLaren Elva is motivated by an 804-hp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. All that power goes to the rear wheels, and McLaren says the exotic can go reach 62 mph (100 kph) in just 2.8 seconds and reach 124 mph in 6.8 seconds. Production of the mid-engine Elva roadster is now limited to 149 examples, down from the 249 units previously planned.
