There has been a collection of speedsters released by major automakers recently, but few have quite as direct a link to their past as McLaren’s Elva. Designed to evoke the Can-Am racers of the past, the car has now had the opportunity to drive alongside its forebears.
In a video produced by the company, the Elva can be seen driving at Laguna Seca with a McLaren M8D, one of Can-Am’s most notable cars. The racer that many still associate with the series, it became known as the “Batmobile” as a result of its distinctive wing.
One of McLaren’s most dominant Can-Am seasons came with that car’s predecessor, the M6A. With five wins in six races during the 1967 season, it led many to call the series “The Bruce and Denny Show,” after Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme, the drivers that drove the cars to the team’s first Can-Am championship.
Read Also: Special McLaren Elva Pays Tribute To Iconic M6A Can-Am Racer
It shares a lot in common with the design of the M1A Elva that lent its name and design to the modern Elva. From the low rear ducktail spoiler to the bodywork that seems to bulge over and wrap around the wheels, to its mid-mounted V8 engine, the Elva owes a lot to these cars, especially when it’s finished in McLaren orange as it is here.
Filled with historic footage of McLaren and Hulme racing these cars around America, the video is a fine reminder of why someone might want a speedster like this one.
“The feeling I get when I sit in my McLaren, it lets me be the little boy that always wanted to be a Formula 1 driver,” says Chris Stansbury, CFO of Arrow Electronics. “The sound, the engagement, you feel everything through the seat, through your hands. It’s a very connected vehicle.”
If you prefer not to muss up your hair, you can opt for the Elva with a windshield, which you can see being driven by IndyCar’s JR Hildebrand in this previously released video.