McLaren is working on a new entry-level supercar to replace its ageing 570S as the flagship car in its Sports Series product line. But this isn’t just a simple model refresh, nor will it be yet another car based around the company’s tried-and-tested twin-turbo V8. That’s because McLaren’s next supercar will be powered by its first V6.
Called the Artura, the mid-engined supercar is set to feature the smallest engine in the company’s history, in terms of cylinder count at the very least. Most of McLaren’s line-up uses either 3.8-litre or 4.0-litre V8s, with the old McLaren F1 coming with BMW’s glorious 6.1-litre V12.
But wait, there’s more. The Artura is set to become the company’s third hybrid model, following on from the P1 and Speedtail. That may not sound like much on paper, but it’ll be the first hybrid model not limited by a production cap and at a cost that shouldn't break the bank (so long as said bank is overflowing).
McLaren automotive boss Mike Flewitt claims that “every element of the Artura is all-new – from the platform architecture and every part of the high-performance hybrid powertrain, to the exterior body, interior and cutting-edge driver interface.”
That’s a bold statement, given that there’s a significant amount of part sharing throughout McLaren. The GT, for instance, uses the 4.0-litre V8 from the 720S plus the steering wheel, while the dashboard has been plucked from the 570S.
Other details are scarce, but the supercar appears to mix in the back-end of the GT, the headlights of the 720S and an reworked version of the sculpted doors found on the 570S.
The key questions, though, are whether the hybrid system can be used to drive the car on electrical energy alone, and how much weight the batteries and motor add to the chassis.
All will be revealed when the covers come off in early 2021.
Keyword: McLaren Artura 2021: what we know about the V6 hybrid 570S replacement