McLaren Artura review

• What is it?
• It doesn’t look much different, does it?
• I’m thinking this sounds rather familiar?
• Can you drive on electric?
• How’s the quality?
• Does it drive like a McLaren?
• What's the verdict?
• What is it like to drive?
• How are the brakes? You said earlier there were issues with them.
• Key question: does it sound good?
• How’s the ride and comfort?
• Is it easy to drive?
• Anything else worth mentioning?
• Come again?
• What is it like on the inside?
• Is it easy to climb into?
• How’s visibility?
• And what about practicality?
• What should I be paying?

Overview

What is it?

The first in a new generation of McLarens. It’s a hybrid supercar, mating twin turbo power with an electric motor and plug-in capacity. McLaren says it’s not a replacement for the Sports Series (570S et al), but come on, it is. This will be the entry level hybrid McLaren. Expect an uprated replacement for the 720S in due course, using this tech, but developing more power and equipped with tech features denied the Artura.

It doesn’t look much different, does it?

It’s an exercise in familiarity: the nose, flying buttresses from the Sports Series, indeed the overall stance, proportions and even the McLaren Orange colour of this one. Enough to make it hard to work out if this is a new car – which must make it a tough sell for existing customers thinking of upgrading.

And if you only read the highlights, the underpinnings don’t seem much different either. It’s built around a two-seat carbon tub (now called the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture), with a twin turbo engine bolted on the back, driving the rear wheels through a twin clutch gearbox. So far, so familiar. It appears to be the same basic kit of parts that underpins almost all other McLarens.

So you have to dig for the differences. A 3.0-litre V6 instead of a 4.0-litre V8, and it’s not like they’ve merely lopped a pair of cylinders off – the bank angle has changed from 90 degrees to 120 degrees, the turbos relocated to the inside. Only a handful of bolts were carried over. The gearbox now has eight speeds rather than seven, the space for that found due to the absence of a reverse gear – that’s handled by the electric motor alone. The 94bhp, 166lb ft, 15.4kg electric motor is mounted in between, taking power from a 7.4kWh battery pack down behind the seats. The V6 contributes 577bhp and 431lb ft from 2,250-7,000rpm for totals of 671bhp and 531lb ft.

I’m thinking this sounds rather familiar?

You’re not wrong. A ‘hot vee’ V6, 7.4kWh battery, electric reverse, two-seat cabin, electronic differential, plug-in capacity and more means the technical package is very similar to the Ferrari 296 GTB’s. Both firms say they’re not rivals, and seeing as the Ferrari has 140bhp more and costs an extra £50k you might agree.

Hmm. The biggest point of differentiation is the McLaren’s carbon chassis tub. It’s brand new, now produced internally at McLaren’s new MCTC (McLaren Composites Technology Centre) in Sheffield. It weighs just 82kg, boasts greatly increased strength and rigidity and contributes significantly to the Artura’s 100kg weight advantage. 1,498kg (DIN, the dry weight is 1,395kg, against the aluminium chassis’d Ferrari’s 1,470kg) is impressive for a plug-in hybrid supercar.

Can you drive on electric?

You can, for up to an official 19 miles (call it 12), but there’s no regen braking – McLaren didn’t want electric recuperation to interfere with pedal feel. The whole front end is as analogue as can be, with double wishbone suspension, adaptive dampers and hydraulic steering. We have some slight issues with standard carbon ceramic brakes (see the Driving section), but no complaints about the steering or the way it tackles corners. It’s only around 60kg heavier than the old 570S.

No fast charging though (instead 2.5 hours to get to 80 per cent), which means on the move the battery is topped up by the engine. There are modes to help you manage that, but unless you do short daily hops on e-power alone, the Artura is not a fuel efficient hybrid.

How’s the quality?

Ah, that old chestnut. It’s been a McLaren bugbear since the days of the 12C. Well, there’s a whole new ethernet electrical architecture, reducing the weight of the wiring loom by 10 per cent as it needs 25 per cent fewer cables. It also permits over the air updates (one of which will be wireless support for phone mirroring – at the moment you have to be plugged in). Our car still regularly refused to recognise the key.

However, the cabin quality and habitability is great. It’s more luxurious than the old Sport Series, better insulated, wrapped in more tactile materials, there’s thoughtful stowage and visibility is good – especially out the back. Direct yourself to the Interior tab for more on that.

Does it drive like a McLaren?

Hybrid helps massively, because instant e-power overlaps turbo lag – as a result you have torque when you want it, you don’t have to second guess the mid-range lag. It’s deeply fast (0-62mph in 3.0secs, 124mph in 8.3secs, 205mph top speed), but doesn’t feel as explosive as the Ferrari (2.9secs, 7.3secs and ‘over’ 205mph).

However, there’s precious little drawback or penalty to it being a hybrid. It’s still light (not much heavier than a V6-no-hybrid Lotus Emira in fact) and has that familiar precision, natural purity and athleticism that we’ve come to love from McLarens. It covers ground professionally, delivers feedback and confidence impressively, and feels colossally capable. And if you leave roads behind, it whips around a track with amazing composure and speed. The V6 even sounds good.

The concern is that visually the Artura doesn’t do enough to communicate to potential buyers the advances that have been made underneath. Neither does the tech spec if you just skate through it. In fact it doesn’t even come across as a revolutionary step forward to drive.

Instead this is McLaren integrating the technology and doing so very slickly. We’d have liked to see fast-charging and brake regeneration to improve efficiency, maybe a greater kick of e-power, too. But this is a very easy supercar to get on with. Maybe not as vibrant, explosive and alert as a Ferrari 296 GTB, but a better thought through daily driver, and at £189,200, over £50,000 cheaper.

If we’ve got a criticism it’s that the Artura feels slightly constrained, pegged back to hit particular performance parameters. It’s no secret that the same kit of parts will underpin the 720S replacement, offering more power, probably more e-functionality, plus extra dynamic elements such as active aero, hydraulic suspension and four-wheel steering. The Artura has to play second fiddle to what comes next. For now it sends McLaren into the hybrid era with confidence and capability. Shame you’ll be hard pushed to spot it.

Driving

What is it like to drive?

Let’s begin on track: can it cut the mustard on a circuit? Yes, it really can. In fact, as is so often the case with modern supercars, you actually need a track to properly get the measure of it. On road there’s feedback and tactility, but you’re aware the car isn’t having to work that hard. Put it this way: on road we found it hugely capable, but missing the last bit of magic. On track we found it.

McLarens tend to have delicate, accurate, communicative front ends (sensitive sniffers if you like), and the Artura is no different. It loves carrying speed into corners, can take a huge amount of pressure and generate enormous grip through the loaded-up front tyre. It’s very resistant to understeer. Pile in on the brakes and it’ll be the rear that starts to edge wide, doing so very progressively.

In fact it does everything progressively. Get back on the power and you don’t need to second guess the turbo lag – the blend of electric and petrol is very predictable. And thanks to the new electronic differential (the first mechanical LSD in a McLaren) smoky slides are there for the taking. There’s not been a McLaren that’s easier to exploit and play with than this.

How are the brakes? You said earlier there were issues with them.

Few complaints on track – they’re very strong with reassuring pedal feel, just got a bit grumbly under repeated extreme use (hardly surprising with ambient temperatures of 37 degrees at Ascari). The bigger issue is on the road. There’s not enough initial bite in the pedal – you brake but seem to surf onwards not slowing as much as you expected.

This is part of McLaren’s play for purity – they’re great when you’re using them hard, but less good during the 90 per cent of the time you’ll be pottering about.

But, boy, is the body control impressive. You can brake, turn, accelerate, do whatever you please and the car has got you covered. Traction is immense, and even at the limit you don’t feel the Artura is going to bite you, or that the chassis isn’t going to be able to cope with the power. Sure, it makes this less wild and free-spirited than the Ferrari 296 GTB, but there’s so much tactility through steering and chassis that it’s a genuinely exciting car to drive.

Key question: does it sound good?

It’s not as intense and expressive as Ferrari’s V6, but it has a tuneful mid-range, the kind you’ll actually enjoy listening to. Better than the outgoing V8, that’s for sure, plus it pulls cleanly all the way to the 8,500rpm limiter.

Nail it at low revs, and after the initial electric hit there is a tiny lull while the turbos are still getting going, but at high revs you never notice it. Drivability is much improved – you don’t need to keep the motor spinning hard. We’d have liked a bigger e-hit to make its impact felt, but this is carefully blended and effective.

How’s the ride and comfort?

McLaren has traditionally been good at this, but it’s worth bearing in mind the Artura doesn’t have the clever cross-linked hydraulic dampers of the more expensive models. It’s coil sprung with adaptive dampers. The ride on poor surfaces is firm, you get some cavitation through the carbon tub, but add speed and it starts to flow. See pretty much every other modern supercar.

You never need more than Comfort mode on the road. The new rocker switches on the instrument binnacle are a nice touch: the left does the chassis, the right the powertrain, each with Comfort, Sport and Track modes, plus an EV mode for the powertrain. Use Sport if you want to keep the engine running, Track if you want it to recharge the battery with maximum prejudice. Be disappointed when that still takes a very long time.

As ever, it’s the ability to creep silently into towns and villages that is the newest and most compelling aspect of these hybrids. You don’t broadcast your arrival in advance.

Is it easy to drive?

McLaren has done a great job of making it logical and easy to use – right down to the screen menus. Been enjoying the car in Sport and coming into town? Two presses on the right hand binnacle and you’re in e-mode, with silent running.

It’s comfortable and quiet enough to cruise in, long geared enough to hit fuel economy in the high-20mpgs. It’s not a car that’s demanding to drive, or constantly at you to give it the berries – it second guesses your mood.

Which makes its track performance more of a surprise. Because it really does hit hard on a circuit, gaining focus and determination to a level you hadn’t expected from driving on road.

Anything else worth mentioning?

The chimney.

Come again?

The ‘hot vee’ layout means engine bay temperatures can reach 900 degrees. To stop this causing havoc the turbos have been given their own heat shields and central vent, so as you drive along you have this rippling column of air rising from the chimney on the back deck.

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

Not much radical thinking on display in here, but this is a more polished and better finished interior than the Sports Series – or GT for that matter. It’s logical to operate, the central portrait touchscreen is responsive, and Apple CarPlay integration is neat. It functions well, there are few frustrations.

Is it easy to climb into?

Possibly a bit trickier than other McLarens. You have to move right into the gap between the roof and the upward opening door before dropping down. And it’s a long way down. Especially if you stick with the standard Clubsport seats – another signifier that McLaren wants this car to be taken seriously as a driving machine.

By the way, those are absolutely the seats to have if your hips permit. They’re one-piece but tilt, lift and rotate cleverly. Great support and comfort overall. They seem extreme, but they’re not. The £3,300 Comfort seats obviously have much more adjustment, but are sited too high in the cabin.

How’s visibility?

Always a McLaren strong suit, and same here. The back window is actually pretty big and because there’s no wing, you can see what’s going on back there. It helps that the Artura isn’t an excessively large car (4,539mm long by 1,976mm wide).

And what about practicality?

No power going to the front wheels means room for a decent 160-litre load bay. It’s pretty generous. There’s also a parcel shelf behind the seats (although anything put there is at risk of sliding around and will block your view), but more than that cabin stowage has been well considered. There are phone slots and cup holders, places for your wallet and car keys, and a big door bin that things don’t fall out of when you swing the door up.

Buying

What should I be paying?

When McLaren first announced the Artura, it was priced at £182,500. It’s now gone up to £189,200. Considering what’s going on in the wider world, that’s no surprise.

And it’s not like that’s what anyone is going to be paying. McLaren has not lost its ability to charge for things: a sports exhaust is £4,700, to have your brake calipers painted is £1,570, the comfort seats are £3,300.

Do have a close look at the £6,800 Technology Pack though, which brings adaptive LED headlights, radar cruise and lane departure, 360 degree park assist and a 12-speaker Bowers and Wilkins hifi. That last is the best we’ve listened to in a McLaren. Still doesn’t have enough surround, but richer toned and more balanced than before.

McLaren hasn’t had the best rep for reliability, though, and that – plus the well documented depreciation of some models – does mean you need to go into ownership with your eyes open. And watch your monthly payments if you’re trading in a cheaper Sport Series car. However, McLaren includes a five year warranty (six for the hybrid’s battery), and a three year service plan.

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