Copart is a magical place where you can potentially pick up a seriously good value salvage title car, providing you’re a handy wrencher and have a bit of time to spare to get it back to the way it should look.
You can find pretty much anything on there, from ultra-basic subcompacts to genuine exotics, but even then, it was a little surprising to see one of just 149 McLaren Elvas (the initial 399-unit run was slashed to 249 and ultimately to 149) ever built up for auction in lightly crash-damaged form on the website. The auction has now ended, with Copart Van Nuys in California confirming to Autoblog that the limited-edition exotic sold for $813,000.
An Ultra-Rare Roadster
Copart
Should you need a quick refresher on the Elva, it debuted in 2019 as the fourth model in McLaren Automotive’s ‘Ultimate Series’ of limited-run supercars. It was based around the chassis and powertrain of the 720S, and used that car’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 turned up to 804 hp, and had a bespoke carbon fiber body.
What it did not have was a windshield or a roof (not initially, anyway – the former later became available as an option). Part of a fleeting trend for topless ‘speedster’ style limited-run supercars that also spawned the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 and Aston Martin V12 Speedster, its looks and its name were a tribute to McLaren’s M1 series of racecars from the 1960s, production of which was handled by a small British firm called Elva. When new, it started at a shade under $1.7 million, but now retails for over $2 million.
Runs and Drives
Copart
Exactly what happened to this particular Elva, auctioned by Copart in Van Nuys, CA, isn’t clear. The Drive has had a tipoff claiming that it used to belong to Austin Russell, the former CEO of bankrupt lidar developer Luminar, but that’s about it. Whoever was driving at the time luckily managed to escape their crash being captured on video, unlike so many other unfortunate supercar drivers in this day and age.
It doesn’t take a detective to note that the car’s had some kind of front end impact, though. The crash itself doesn’t look to have been too severe. Indeed, as if this is some Craigslist ad for a ratty Fox Body Mustang, Copart confirms that the Elva runs and drives, having been tested above 30 MPH.
Not Your Average Project Car
Copart
Nevertheless, getting this Elva back to looking and driving the way it should will be no small task. Firstly, carbon fiber is notoriously expensive to repair, and since the front end consists of a single-piece carbon clamshell, we dread to think about the cost of sourcing a new one.
Moreover, the accident looks to have taken out the Elva’s Active Air Management System, a flap that pops out of the nose of the car to direct air over the cockpit and prevent driving at highway speeds from feeling like standing in a category five hurricane. That, again, is likely an enormously specialized and expensive repair job. Finally, just to add to the bill, Copart's damage report notes that the radiator's damaged and the brakes are inoperable.
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