McLaren is racing towards an electric future with the launch of its new entry-level Artura hybrid supercar.
The £185,500 Artura isn’t the company’s first hybrid, but it is the first series production McLaren hybrid and replaces the 570S at the foot of the McLaren range, slotting in just below the 570-based GT, which remains on sale.
McLaren has swapped the old car’s twin-turbo V8 engine for a hybridised twin-turbo V6 that makes it vastly quicker and greener. The Artura emits just 129g/km of CO2, compared with 249g/km for the old 570, and can drive for up to 19 miles on electric power.
Recharging the battery takes 2.5 hours, but rather more impressively, it can accelerate to 62mph in just 3sec, and reach 100mph in 8.3sec; those numbers are 0.2sec and 1.2sec better respectively than those of the 570S.
Much of the credit must go to the new engine and eight- (up from seven-) speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the rear wheels only, as before, and uses the electric motor to go backwards, rather than a conventional reverse gear.
The new V6 produces 577bhp on its own, compared with 563bhp for the 570S’s V8. Factor in the 94bhp provided by the electric motor and 7.4kWh battery, and you have 671bhp and 530lb ft of torque, not far short of the 710bhp and 568lb ft of its 720S big brother.
But equally important is McLaren’s desire to keep the kerb weight down and maximise the benefit of those impressive engine stats.
Adding an electric motor and battery pack to most cars results in a weight gain that spoils the handling, but thanks to the smaller engine, lightweight aluminium panels and a new carbon chassis that is built in McLaren’s composites facility near Sheffield, the Artura tips the scales at 1498kg, making it only 50kg heavier than the 570S, and no heavier than other non-hybrid supercars.
That modest kerb weight bodes well for the handling, as does the addition of an electronically controlled differential and McLaren’s determination not to adopt a modern electrically assisted power steering setup, sticking instead with the electro-hydraulic assistance it says it needs if it’s to deliver the kind of communicative steering McLarens are famous for.
Lift up the trademark dihedral doors – McLaren fits proper supercar doors to every car, but Ferrari and Lamborghini reserve them for the really expensive stuff – and you’re presented with a surprisingly airy two-seat cabin that McLaren says can easily accommodate adults up to 6ft 4in tall. There's also 160 litres of luggage space in the nose, which is slightly less than you get in a Mini, but more than you get in the nose of a Porsche 911, and enough for a weekend away.
The digital instrument binnacle moves with the adjustable steering wheel and is flanked by a pair of pods giving access to the Powertrain and Handling mode dials that were previously buried low on the console.
Other functions can be accessed through the second display, an 8in portrait touchscreen in the centre console that has support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Racy Clubsport seats are fitted as standard and can even be combined with optional harnesses, but more generously proportioned drivers can select electrically-adjustable comfort seats from a predictably lengthy options list.
Beyond the standard trim, the Artura can be ordered in three further grades: Performance, TechLux and Vision. Each gets subtly different colour and material choices, in some cases swapping the standard Alcantara upholstery for Nappa leather.
But in each case you’ll need to pay extra for the Technology Pack (Bowers & Wilkins hifi, adaptive LED lights, intelligent cruise control and 360-degree park assist) and Practicality Pack (nose lift for speed bumps, rear-view camera and soft-close doors). Let’s face it, that £185,500 starting price, really is just the start.
Fancy one? The Artura is available to order now with deliveries starting in autumn 2021, though if you haven’t already put in a good word with your dealer you can expect a significantly longer wait.
Keyword: McLaren's new £186k Artura hybrid does 205mph and 50mpg