McLaren used the McLaren-Elva M1A of the
1960s as inspiration for the new model. The bespoke British automaker is
honoring the car’s illustrious racing history with a new theme from MSO,
McLaren Special Operations, called the M1A theme.
The theme celebrates the Bruce McLaren’s
McLaren-Elva M1A being the fastest car at the 1964 Canadian Sports Car Grand
Prix. The car repeatedly smashed the lap record seven times and equaling the
lap record four more. The original M1A tipped the scales at just 1,215 pounds
using a 4.5-liter Oldsmobile 4.5-liter V8. McLaren infused the original M1A
with cutting-edge technology, at least for the time.
McLaren again built a cutting-edge speedster, this time infusing it
with the latest and greatest technologies and materials. The modern-day Elva
uses a ton of carbon fiber to keep the weight low. The powertrain is smaller in
displacement than the original’s Oldsmobile 4.5-liter, but it makes way more
power. The new Elva uses McLaren’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that produces
804 horsepower. It’s capable of rocketing the roofless supercar
to 100 km/h in under three seconds.
When McLaren revealed the Elva, it
announced its starting price of US$ 1.69 million, with customers able to customize
their cars through MSO. McLaren also announced it’d limit production to just
399 examples. The McLaren Elva M1A by MSO pays homage to the iconic racing car
that inspired its modern-day reimagining. It only makes sense for McLaren to
honor that history with a special package that gives the sleek-looking supercar
and nostalgic look and feel.
