- A 2021 McLaren Elva with no windshield is up for auction on Bring a Trailer until Thursday, February 23.
- The limited-production Elva was also offered with a windshield, but this example was ordered in the coolest spec—without one.
- The Elva’s missing glass barrier is offset by a deployable deflector that directs air and debris over the cockpit, but it’s unlikely to be 100 percent effective.
Can you imagine hundreds of ultra-rich people insane enough to spend $1.7 million on an 804-hp V-8–powered roadster without a windshield? Well, they exist, because 399 McLaren Elvas were built and sold around the globe, some of which had front glass in order to be road legal. Still, it would be great to be one of the lucky sons of guns who own an open-cockpit version. And here’s an opportunity: there’s a windshield-less 2021 Elva currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.
The Elva on BaT still has five days left until the bidding ends, and the latest offer is within spitting distance of its nearly $1.7 million starting price, suggesting that when the auction closes on Thursday, February 23, the 37-mile example will sell for more than what the original owner paid, which was $1,789,572, according to the listing.
What is so intriguing about a seven-figure hypercar that literally offers no physical protection from, say, a bird strike or—more likely—stray rocks shot from an 18-wheeler? Simply put, it’s because it provides a one-of-a-kind driving experience, not to mention it looks like nothing else on the road. Okay, other open-cockpit exotics like the Aston Martin V12 Speedster and Ferrari Monza exist, but neither seemingly made it to America.
We shared extensive driving impressions in our review. While McLaren incorporated a deployable deflector on the hood that’s designed to direct air and debris over the cockpit, it’s unlikely that it’s 100 percent effective. How can it be when the Elva is said to reach a top speed of 203 mph? One solution would be to wear a full-face helmet whenever doing anything more strenuous than parading around town letting everyone know you come from money.
The windshield issue aside, who can resist Elva’s crazy design? It looks like something the inventor of Hot Wheels would use as their daily driver. The fact that McLaren claims the mid-engine/rear-drive two-seater weighs less than 3000 pounds and hits 60 mph in under 3.0 seconds makes it even more desirable.
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