We tested together with McLaren Milano the new Artura, McLaren’s first series-production High-Performance Hybrid supercar which focuses more than half a century of the company’s racing and road-car experience and expertise into a next-generation supercar that blends ground-breaking technology with McLaren’s dedication to pure driver engagement.
The all-new Artura is the distillation of every attribute inherent in a McLaren – distinctive design, unrivalled performance, dynamic excellence and engineering innovation – with electrification now bringing the additional benefits of even faster throttle response, lower emissions and being able to run in pure EV mode for emissions-free journeys of up to 30 km.
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A demanding program of weight reduction, encompassing every area of the Artura from the chassis platform – this is the debut of the new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) – through to the uniquely compact HPH powertrain system and the weight of cabling used in the electrical systems (where a 10% reduction was achieved), resulted in the Artura having a lightest dry weight of 1.395 kg.
At the heart of the Artura’s powertrain is McLaren’s all-new, 2,993cc twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine. With a power output of 577bhp – nearly 200bhp per liter – and 431lb ft of torque, the dry-sump aluminum engine is compact and lightweight at just 160 kg. Coupled with this is the M630 E-motor designed to run with a Gasoline Particulate Filter and full Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) capability and can be charged to an 80% charge level in just 2.5 hours.
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The engineering artistry beneath the Artura’s skin is complemented by its exterior design. The low-nose, cab-forward, high-tail stance is pure supercar, the drama underlined by the signature McLaren dihedral doors and further enhanced by the short wheelbase and low stance.
The driver can choose from four Powertrain modes, including an E-mode for 30 km of emissions-free, electric-only driving. Comfort mode maximizes range and efficiency, with the combustion engine shut off under 40 km/h with the use of an extended stop and start mode but phased in for greater speed and power requirements. In Sport and Track modes, electric power is deployed in an increasingly aggressive manner for low-end response and acceleration.
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It is the dawn of a new era for hybrid supercars thanks to a car with a compelling design and literally electrifying performance: 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 8.3 seconds, and 0-300 km/h in 21.5 seconds, with the ¼ mile in 10.7 seconds.
