--- title: "Lightly-Crashed $2M McLaren Elva Pops Up for Sale at Salvage Auction (UPDATE)" date: "2026-02-25" modified: "2026-02-25" authors: - name: "Kyle Cheromcha" job_title: "Editor-in-Chief" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/theres-a-gently-crashed-2m-mclaren-elva-for-sale-at-a-salvage-auction-right-now" categories: - "Culture" - "For Sale" - "McLaren News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "mclaren" - "Supercar" --- # Lightly-Crashed $2M McLaren Elva Pops Up for Sale at Salvage Auction (UPDATE) ![mclaren elva salvage auction front end]() *\Copart\* It's been a minute since we had a fun supercar salvage auction to ogle, hasn't it? And we're back with a bang: there's a 1-of-149 $2M [McLaren Elva]() that's seen better days [for sale on Copart right now](), with less than 24 hours left to snag it. Runs and drives, great color, no windshield as Bruce McLaren intended... I don't know about you, but it's almost too tempting to take out a second mortgage on my house. ***Updated 2/25 @ 6:58 pm ET:** According to a tipster, the Elva used to belong to former [Luminar]() CEO Austin Russell, [who was ousted]() from the lidar company he founded last May. It's not known whether Russell still owned the car at the time of the crash, or if he was behind the wheel, but the plot thickens. The original story continues below.* The damage doesn't even seem that bad, with one hefty caveat. The Elva looks like it ran headlong into and submarined under something taller—hopefully not the back end of a truck, which would've been terrifying for the driver—as evidenced by the crunched front end and long scrapes running up along the front fenders. From the large gap between the front tires and the wheel well, it also appears the hydraulic front axle lift might be jammed up. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Your biggest problem will be that the [McLaren's Active Air Management System](), which is supposed to funnel air up through the opening in the nose and arc it over the cockpit, negating the need for a windshield, is totally toast. But that's what goggles are for, right? Go for a full restoration, or get the suspension sorted and enjoy the patina as is, or drop an LS in there and swap its V8 into whatever your heart desires. When it launched in 2020, the Elva was the fifth installment in McLaren's Ultimate Series line, following the F1, P1, Senna, and Speedtail. The F1 will forever be on a pedestal, and I'm personally a huge Speedtail fan, but you could argue the Elva was the most radical car McLaren built in modern times. Powered by a twin-turbo V8 sending 804 horsepower to the rear wheels, gifted with hydraulic steering and surprisingly plush active suspension, weighing just under 2,800 pounds, and rocketing from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, it's simultaneously an incredible piece of engineering and a total rejection of what modern supercars are supposed to be. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() McLaren wasn't alone in making a no-windshield supercar for rich guys to sometimes drive but mostly stick in their massive garages in recent years. The Elva was joined by the [Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2]() and the [Aston Martin V12 Speedster](), and while any of them would do for our purposes, you can bet this'll be the cheapest way to join that club. At least until the next incident, whenever that is. I haven't found any records or documentation of the crash that sent this Elva to a Copart yard. It's got a Montana title, of course, but if you know more about how it ended up looking for a new entrepreneurial owner, get in touch: tips@thedrive.com ## Author Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()