Key Points: VAT Qualifying, Technology Pack, Black Pack, Sports Exhaust.

The McLaren Artura is a contemporary British supercar, which was advertised on the McLaren MCL35M and MCL36 Formula One cars during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, before joining the marque’s hybrid electric lineup in late 2022, alongside the P1 and the Speedtail. It marked the debut of the carbon fibre MCLA (McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture) chassis tub, as well as the company’s first V6 engine and electronic differential.

Power comes from an all-aluminium McLaren-designed, Ricardo-built 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged ‘M630’ V6, which revs to 8,500rpm, paired with a 15kg electric motor located within the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission casing, to produce a combined output of 671 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. The engine has a bank angle of 120 degrees, a world first for a production V6, in order to accommodate a ‘hot-V’ layout, where the two turbochargers are placed in the ‘V’ of the engine.

The new engine is 50kg lighter and 190mm shorter than the V8 that powered previous McLarens, enabling a shorter wheelbase (30mm less than that of the 570S and 720S). A vent nicknamed the ‘powertrain chimney’ directly over the ‘V’ of the cylinders helps extract hot air. According to McLaren, the Artura can accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 205 mph.

The 7.4 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack weighs 88 kg and is positioned under the rear of the passenger compartment. McLaren claims the car can charge from empty to 80% in 2.5 hours using an EVSE cable, and can travel up to 19 miles solely on battery power.

There are three modes for the dampers and powertrain: Comfort, Sport and Track; with a further Electric mode setting. A button in the centre of the Handling mode switch disables the stability control (or enables the variable drift control mode as seen on 720S), while a button on the Powertrain switch toggles between automatic and manual gear shift controls.

Comfort mode uses both electric and petrol power, prioritising the electric motor when the engine is under low load, and short-shifting to save fuel, while Sport mode has a more performance-focused gearbox map. In Track mode, the electric motor will boost acceleration under 100% throttle, and at lower throttle, the engine will partially charge the battery in preparation for the next corner exit.

The body is all-new, albeit taking inspiration from the Sports Series cars, and was designed to use as few panels as possible. For example, the rear clamshell is made from a single piece of aluminium. Carbon ceramic brake discs are fitted as standard, and there is a multi-link suspension layout at the rear, as opposed to Mclaren’s previous double-wishbone setup.