McLaren has been in the supercar, hypercar and racing car world for quite some time. They have a knack for creating some of the world’s best and most renowned vehicles we’ve grown to love, respect and need a lot of courage to get behind the wheel off; the McLaren P1 most notably comes to mind. Unlike the P1, the Senna and the F1, the Artura isn’t precisely a stand-alone car; it is a direct descendant of the P1. McLaren’s first series production plug-in hybrid supercar, which means anyone with £170,000 rolling around can buy one.
Performance and power are what most McLaren fanatics want to hear about first, equipped with a brand new 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 that is paired with a 70 kW battery. The Artura produces a combined power output of 671 bhp and 720 Nm of torque. Which is enough to get this beast from 0-62 mph in 3 seconds flat and onto a limited top speed of 205 mph; I wonder why it’s limited? Probably as to not make it faster than its other more expensive, older siblings, perhaps?
On electric power alone, the Artura can go about 20 miles on a single charge which isn’t that much, but the hybrid system on the Artura works pretty much in the same way as the system found in the P1. The Artura also comes with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox to where all the power will be sent only to the rear wheels, just like every other McLaren for now.
The exterior looks just as spectacular; it pays homage to some of the older McLaren models. The front is similar to the 650s, with a modern twist, and the rear is similar to the 720s. The chassis and design follow the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA), making the Artura a very lightweight supercar; considering it comes equipped with both a combustion engine and electric motors, the entire car weighs under 1.5 tonnes making it remarkably light in its class. Other outstanding features that give it its remarkable appearance are McLaren’s well-known opening door mechanisms that add a hint of sophistication, panache, and luxury as you step out of it.
The interior, as you would expect, follows typical McLaren styling and layout. It comes with leather, Alcantara, a load of carbon and aluminium mix, making the driver and the passenger feel wrapped in a bubble of comfort, luxury and safety. As you would expect on any car from this period, android auto and apple car play are featured in the Artura, but I couldn’t say whether you have to pay extra for them. The only thing that is irritating about the McLaren Artura, just like found in most modern cars nowadays, is the head unit. What on earth was McLaren thinking? It looks like a cheaply fitted aftermarket head unit you can buy online, and it tilts to one side with a bias towards the driver makes it an inconvenience for the passenger. I prefer how the infotainment system is laid out in other McLaren models, it sort of fits and works with the interior flow. To sum up, the new McLaren Artura offers a breath of fresh air and a new direction for McLaren. It’s following alongside its competitors, breaking into the hybrid supercar game, and it looks like the Artura will put up a good fight against its contenders.
Sources:
https://cars.mclaren.com/gb-en/artura
Images:
supercars.net
Bleeding Edge Digital 