Hybrid and electric supercars will soon become an industry standard, and McLaren just delivered its latest electrified supercar, the Artura. But it's not the exotic brand's first plug-in hybrid. The P1 hypercar shocked everyone in the mid-2010s with its incredible design and performance, demonstrating what a hybrid powertrain is capable of. The Artura doesn't have the power or price tag of the P1, but it's still a spectacular hybrid supercar.
The Artura joins the 720S and 765LT as part of McLaren's Supercars lineup. Under the hood, you'll find McLaren's first-ever six-cylinder engine: a high-revving 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that produces 577 horsepower and 431 lb-ft of torque by itself. When combined with the hybrid system, the total output is 671 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque.
McLaren says the Artura has a top speed of 205 mph and can hit 60 mph in 3 seconds flat, which is impressive for a rear-wheel-drive supercar. Helping achieve that performance is a lightweight architecture and body that result in a curb weight of only 3,300 pounds. That build plus the hybrid powertrain makes the Artura the most fuel-efficient McLaren ever produced. The EPA estimates the Artura can drive up to 11 miles on all-electric power and gets 18 mpg combined when operating as a hybrid.
Inside, the Artura sports a simple and sleek interior with upholstered surfaces and high-quality materials including aluminum and carbon fiber. Its 8-inch center touchscreen controls most interior functions and is easy to use. Even though the Artura is a supercar, it offers popular tech such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and driver aids like adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning.
The 2023 Artura is a brave push into the future for McLaren. Still, the Artura retains much of what we love from the carmaker. It's beautiful and aerodynamic but not ostentatious. Handling is wonderful, yet touring comfort is unmatched in the segment. And the hybrid system offers new dimensions in both stealthy urban running and lag-free full-throttle performance. Hybrid supercars aren't common yet, but the Artura does have one direct rival, the Ferrari 296 GTB. It, too, is powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but it costs more and is more powerful.
The 2023 McLaren Artura is a two-seat hybrid mid-engine coupe that's offered in four trim levels: There's the base Standard model, along with the Performance, TechLux and Vision variants — the latter three are all priced the same but include different interior upholstery combinations. It's powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine mated to a hybrid system consisting of an electric motor fed by a 7.4-kWh battery pack. The combined power output is 671 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission routes power to the rear wheels. Feature highlights include:
The NSX is a supercar with a traditional hybrid system, not a plug-in hybrid with an electric driving range like the Artura. In its final model year, the NSX was only available in the 600-horsepower Type S model. Like the Artura, it uses a turbocharged V6 but has three electric motors, including one for each front wheel, which makes it all-wheel-drive. The Artura makes more power, but both supercars boast 0-60 mph times of about 3 seconds. Starting prices are high, but the NSX's is significantly lower.
The Huracan isn't a hybrid supercar, but there are other reasons to consider it alongside the Artura. Its 630-hp V10 rocketed the Lamborghini to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds when we tested it. That beats the Artura's proclaimed 3-second 0-60 time. Unlike the rear-wheel-drive Artura, the Huracan can be all- or rear-wheel-drive and offers a track-focused STO model. Both supercars provide lots of comfort, making them great daily drivers.
The Taycan is an electric sedan with blistering acceleration. The top Turbo S model that best competes with the Artura produces 750 hp with its overboost mode. Porsche says it can hit 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds, which is quicker than the Artura. Like most Porsches, the Taycan handles extremely well and offers excellent ride quality. The Taycan's four doors and trunk make it more practical, but it doesn't have the exotic look of the Artura.
Nearly a decade ago, McLaren released its first plug-in hybrid, the P1 hypercar. Now the British automaker has developed an all-new plug-in model, though the 2023 McLaren Artura is an entirely different beast. The Artura is less powerful than its predecessor, but it's also significantly less expensive and won't be limited to just 375 units as the P1 was. Even so, the Artura is absolutely a McLaren through and through.
The Artura uses an all-new engine for McLaren: a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, the first six-cylinder engine for a McLaren road car. The cylinders are mounted at a wide 120-degree angle as compared to the more narrow 90-degree angle as used on the automaker's V8. The V6's wider angle means it's physically shorter than the V8, so it can sit lower in the car and bring down the center of gravity to improve the Artura's weight balance. The engine uses the so-called "hot V" setup that places the turbochargers and exhaust manifold above the engine between the cylinder banks rather than the bottom. It's a common setup for performance cars these days as the shorter distance between the turbo and the engine allows for the former to build boost more quickly. It helps reduce turbo lag and improve throttle response.
When the car turns on, it defaults to all-electric mode (given there's charge in the battery), but a drive mode rocker switch mounted within a finger's reach of the steering wheel can fire that engine up with just a simple click. There are four modes: E-mode, Comfort, Sport and Track. Comfort mode acts like a traditional hybrid, using electricity at low speeds or while at stoplights and firing the engine up when you demand it. Rather than using the electric motor to improve efficiency, Sport and Track modes use it to improve performance, expending more energy at lower speeds to improve torque and throttle response.
The Artura's ride quality is pretty solid for a sports car. You feel bumps and imperfections, but nothing is overly harsh or back breaking. Certain sections of pavement on our drive were rough and worn, but the Artura's adaptive suspension tuned out much of it. Only Track mode felt overly stiff for the street. We spent a full day behind the wheel on everything from city streets to big stretches of interstate, and we still weren't itching to get out.
That new carbon-fiber tub does more than just provide a place to mount the battery. The design allows for a bit more interior space than in some other McLaren models like the 570S. And good news for those that have been in other McLaren models: The extra space allowed for redesigned seat controls, so it no longer feels like a fishing expedition just to adjust your back angle. The standard sport seat is comfortable and supportive enough to keep you planted in corners. Fixed-back sport seats are available.
Driving assistance tech is generally absent on sports cars, but the Artura bucks the trend by being the first McLaren to offer adaptive cruise control, and in our experience it works very well. It's smooth to adjust speed and holds tight enough gaps that you won't constantly have drivers cutting you off in traffic. Along with adaptive cruise control, the Artura is available with lane departure warning and parking sensors.
The 2023 McLaren Artura is offered in four trim levels: Standard, Performance, TechLux and Vision.
Edmunds saysA plug-in hybrid supercar seems to offer the best of both worlds. Performance when you need it, efficiency when you don't. It may not be as wild or as powerful as some of McLaren's other cars, but the Artura is still mighty quick and plenty capable. If anyone calls hybrids boring, just point them in McLaren's direction.
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2023 McLaren Artura:
The least-expensive 2023 McLaren Artura is the 2023 McLaren Artura 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8AM). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $233,000.
Other versions include:
