The November Las Vegas auction, hosted by RM Sotheby’s, is billed as the official auction of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. It takes place on November 17 and promises to be quite the spectacle, with several choice automobiles on offer. One of the clear highlights, though, has to be this 2021 McLaren Elva with its shimmering colour scheme.
First unveiled in November 2019, the Elva is McLaren’s first open-cockpit road car. It is the latest member of the carmaker’s Ultimate Series, an elite class that includes the McLaren P1, Senna GTR and the Speedtail. The Elva stands apart, though, being the lightest road car McLaren has ever produced. It also boasts a completely roofless design, resulting from McLaren’s uncompromising pursuit of pure driving excellence.
There are no side windows and windshield either (though the windshield was later added as a factory option). What McLaren has done is include an ingenious system of ducts and deflectors that route the airflow over and around the cabin. Dubbed the Active Air Management System (AAMS), the clever setup helps create an invisible shield against the buffetting wind as the Elva is being put through its paces.
At its core, the Elva is essentially a super lightweight carbon-fibre monocoque fashioned around a mid-mounted 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8. It is one of the most powerful McLaren engines, able to crank out 804 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. It’s a lot of oomph in a car with a curb weight of only 2,798 lbs (1,269 kg). The McLaren Elva will hit 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and 124 mph in a mind-numbing 6.7 seconds.
McLaren made 149 examples of the Elva, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any two that look the same. This is because the carmaker offered a near-limitless suite of customizations for the $1.7 million hypercar. They range from no-cost selections like a bespoke audio unit and vehicle lift system to a visible full carbon-fibre body, an option that costs north of $220,000.
The Elva heading to the November auction is immediately noticeable thanks to its unique colour. Called the Pacific Colourstream, the iridescent purple throws off violet, magenta and blue hues depending on the angles of light reflection. The MSO paint option alone costs $37,898 and is well complemented by the purple brake callipers, another $4,950 add-on.
Other options on the Elva include the exposed carbon fibre for the mirror caps, instrument binnacle and paddle shifters. It also extends to the bespoke purple piping and stitching for the seats, as well as the brushed-metal trim in the cabin. Altogether, the Elva was specified with over $102,000 worth of optional add-ons to create a truly unique example of the Elva.
The McLaren Elva, number 122 of 149, was delivered new to McLaren Charlotte and has been preserved in pristine condition. There are only 93 miles on the odometer, and the original window sticker detailing the extensive options list is still present.
The estimate for this Elva ranges from $1,800,000 – $2,400,000. McLaren faithfuls who missed out on the initial opportunity to secure an allocation when the car first launched will undoubtedly have their eye on this one.
Source: RM Sotheby’s
