Because billionaire car collectors aren't satisfied with their ultra-exclusive supercars, brands like McLaren and Aston Martin have had to release speedster versions of their vehicles.
In McLaren's case, this resulted in the Elva, which looks like a 720S, but doesn't feature a roof, windows, or a windscreen (until just recently).
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To increase the car's potential customer base, the company's MSO division has added a windscreen to the Elva. While there isn't a concrete definition for the term 'speedster', it seems that the Elva is no longer one.
Only added as an option, those die-hard speedster fans can still opt to order there Elva without the glass up front.
Even with this extra glass, the Elva is still the brand's lightest street-legal car ever built. All up, it still only weighs 1320kg, which is probably down to the screen's surround being made of carbon fibre.
“Roofless and without windows, whether you opt for the screenless model with its sophisticated AAMS technology that provides an invisible barrier of air, or the windscreen version with an additional level of enclosure, this is a roadster that rewards owners with the most exhilarating of open-air driving experiences, delivered as only a McLaren can”, said CEO Mike Flewitt.
With a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine situated behind the driver, the Elva is nothing short of terrifying. This 600kW power plant will rocket it to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and 200km/h in 6.8.
To keep things exclusive, McLaren announced that just 149 Elvas will be built and sold, which is down on the 399 figure that the brand initially stated.