Formula One took its checkered flag for the 2023 season last weekend in Abu Dhabi. With the first positions already defined in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championship (Mercedes beat Ferrari to get on the third step of the podium), one of the greatest expectations was placed on the auction of some of the cars in the collection by Fernando Alonso.
Announced a few months ago, the auction house Bonhams would sell to the highest bidder one of the 149 units built from the spectacular McLaren Elva, a sports car that is characterized by not have a roof or windshield.
The proposal also had two interesting condiments: that the vehicle only has five kilometers tours and that its estimated sale price ranged from 2.5 million euros.
An extra piece of information. It was not the first time that the two-time F-1 world champion would sell a car from his collection, since in June of this year he had auctioned one Ferrari Enzowhich ended up being sold in 5 million euros.
However, things did not go as expected. The initial value of the auction was set at $750,000 and soon reached its ceiling.
Despite being an extravagant sports car and practically 0 km, the competition had few takers. As reported by the site The Spanish, The maximum offer reached 1.2 million dollarsa figure considerably lower than expected.
Consequently, the McLaren Elva will remain in the possession of the Aston Martin driver until another auction takes place.
On the other hand, it is worth noting that during the F-1 weekend in Abu Dhabi there were two other “juicy” lots that were auctioned, such as Mario Andretti’s Lotus 79, sold for 3.1 million dollars, and Kimi Räikkönen’s McLaren MP4721, which was sold for $2.76 million.
With Argentine design
The McLaren Elva is a model designed by the Argentine Esteban Palazzo and which Alonso acquired almost four years ago when he was spending two years out of the top category at the time.
Only 149 units of this model were manufactured. Of this particular sports car without roof or windshield, only 149 units were manufactured, almost half of those that the Woking firm had planned. That of the two-time F-1 champion is number 114.
Mechanically it is equipped with a naferto 4.0 liter V8, biturbo engine, with 815 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque. With this support it is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in just 6.7 seconds.
The Elva is one of McLaren’s lightest “street” cars, with a carbon fiber chassis and body, seats built with the same material and carbon-ceramic brakes, which are not only lighter but also dissipate heat better and are less prone to fatigue.
While McLaren offers the option to wear helmets when driving, the brand has created the world’s first aerodynamic protection that works as if it were a windshield.
The design of the chassis and body is made of carbon fiber.The system is called Active Air Management (AAMS) and is responsible for channeling air through the nose of the car to exit the front deck at high speed in front of the occupants before being directed towards the cabin to create a relative “bubble of calm.”
The system consists of a large central inlet located above the splitter, a front ventilation outlet and a discreet carbon fiber deflector that rises and lowers vertically. When AAMS is active, the deflector deploys at the leading edge of the bonnet outlet, rising 150mm into the freestream to create a low pressure zone in the vent.
At urban speeds, when the level of airflow into the cabin means AAMS is not needed, the system is inactive. As speed increases, the AAMS automatically deploys and remains active until speed is reduced, at which time the deflector retracts. The controller can also disable the system using buttons.
The figure and concept of the Elva is inspired by a competition vehicle designed by Bruce McLaren in the 1960s, which embodied the brand’s design and engineering principles, the M1A. The name Elva corresponds to the name given to the brand’s founder’s first competition company.
