Test drive: McLaren Artura, the high-performance hybrid supercar minus the ecotax
The McLaren Artura Hybrid, a 680hp plug-in hybrid supercar (Photo © Romain Boisaubert/Monaco Tribune)
Monaco Tribune had the opportunity of test driving the McLaren Artura, a new-generation hybrid supercar, in Monaco and in the hinterland.
When we say McLaren, we think of Formula 1, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. And yet… the Woking (UK) firm has been producing road vehicles, mainly supercars, for over 50 years.
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McLaren has even been building its own engines and designing its own chassis since 2011. A way of breaking into the high-powered luxury vehicle market.
100% electric mode, plus a twin-turbo V6 engine
And to be completely on trend, the British brand has just released its second hybrid supercar: the McLaren Artura. An explosive mix of power and comfort, in a vehicle that is intended to be environmentally responsible.
Heads turned as the 680 horsepower car (see below) with sharp lines drove around Monaco’s streets. With a range of 30 km in 100% electric mode, on a 95 horsepower engine, the McLaren Artura is seen but (almost) not heard.
But for fans of engines that roar and purr, there’s no need to panic. The McLaren Artura gave full voice, and throttle, on the back roads from Sospel to Bézaudun-les-Alpes.
With its twin-turbo V6 combining a 585 horsepower combustion engine and a 95 horsepower electric engine, the McLaren Artura can unleash a total of 680 horsepower. Guaranteed thrills. Especially since the V6 twin-turbo, replacing the heavier traditional V8, means the British firm successfully compensates the hybrid’s weight.
Performance on a par with the 720S
Overall it is only 80 kg heavier than the McLaren 720S with a total weight that stays below 1500 kg fully fuelled.
With immediate thrust thanks to the electric power and going from 0 to 100 kph in just 3 seconds for a maximum speed of 330 kph, the McLaren Artura matches the performance of the 720S or Ferrari F8.
Ideal on the track or on the hinterland’s roads, the Artura is not just a Sunday car. Its active suspension and quality seats make it an ultra-comfortable sports car, perfect for everyday use.
Real added value, given that the vehicle’s batteries recharge thanks to regenerative braking and that the hybrid technology will save you paying a huge ecological penalty.
It is only €75, when a new Artura is priced at €235,000. This definitely takes supercars and this McLaren in particular into a new era.