McLaren Artura supercar marks new chapter in tech and performance… and we promise it’s quite a green car

Singapore - On the eve of a Formula 1 weekend, and in a room filled with McLarens of past and present, including a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren cousin, McLaren Singapore launches the Artura. This is the British carmaker’s second hybrid car (the first being the P1) to be produced.

The ‘Artura’ name is a portmanteau of ‘Art’ and ‘Future’, fitting for their first series-production High-Performance Hybrid (HPH) supercar which also points to McLaren’s direction for the future.

(Click HERE to read our exclusive First Drive Review of the McLaren Artura)

The new Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA), forms the core of the Artura (and will be the bones for future McLaren cars), which has a bespoke battery compartment for its electrical architecture, along with an electrical heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (eHVAC) system. What is also new is the ethernet architecture which reduces cabling by around 25%, and McLaren claims that the system speeds up data transmission. 

The McLaren infotainment and connectivity system (MIS II) is new, and includes updated versions of Track Telemetry and Variable Drift Control. Over-The-Air (OTA) updates are also now possible with the new architecture.

The Artura’s mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre almost-flat 120 degree V6, is paired to a “pancake” E-motor, which raises the Artura's combined power output to 680hp and 720Nm. On its own, the V6 pushes 585hp and 585Nm while the electric motor, which is small enough to be located within the transmission’s bell housing, puts out an additional 94bhp and 225Nm. The lightweight transmission is an 8-speed unit - broken down into seven hard-driving gears and 8th as the overdrive. The entire combination gets the Artura to 100km/h in 3 seconds, 200km/h in 8.3 seconds, and 300km/h if you could, in 21.5 seconds. McLaren claims that their new green baby boasts a class-leading power-to-weight ratio of 481bhp/tonne.

The electric bit of the powertrain is fueled by a 7.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which gives the Artura a pure EV range of 30km. The battery can be charged to 80% in 2 hours, and can be replenished by the engine, depending on the drive mode selected.

Find out how McLaren’s shiny-new toy performs, driven by some lucky bastard colleague here!

The Woking-made Ferrari 296-rival (also driven by the same lucky bastard colleague) retails for S$1,198,888 with options, but without COE. 

PHOTOS Clifford Chow, Jay Tee (the good ones)