Artura Spider: McLaren’s First Hybrid is All-Out Fun

It wasn’t long ago that 700hp was reserved for limited-run hypercars or highly tuned, Fast and Furious style Nissan Skylines. But in 2024, 700hp is available in McLaren’s latest mid-range convertible. OK, mid-range might undersell it, but the Artura Spider does sit between the more laid back GTS and the all out, next level supercar, the 750S. While the GTS is undeniably quick, it aims to deliver a more refined, usable package. The 750S on the other hand is extreme, from its dramatic looks to its mind-bending pace. The Artura then could be viewed as somewhat of a compromise; it aims to combine supercar performance with comfort and, for the first time in a McLaren, a hybrid powertrain. But in trying to be all things, is it attempting to do too much? In short, no, and leaving no stone left unturned, McLaren has produced a car that can genuinely claim to be an everyday supercar. 

When you first see the Artura Spider in the metal, it doesn’t look very ‘every day’. Early McLaren’s were criticised for their lack of drama and somewhat sterile looks. But the Artura has a perfect balance of sharp edges and curvy ducts and inlets that look as though they were designed for flair as much as performance. In Mantis Green, my test car is a proper head turner, eliciting smiles, waves and claps from children and grown adults alike. Subtle it is not, but the shade suits the car, and combines well with the black wheels and carbon accents, looking like it’s straight from a Grand Theft Auto garage. 

The rear of the car is particularly dramatic. In making the Artura a convertible, McLaren were faced with the challenge of cooling the 3.0-litre V6, given that it is now entirely shrouded in the fold-out hardtop. To help, the engineering team created a series of ducts and vents which funnel out hot air and channel it around the buttresses and down over the rear lip. This hits two birds with one stone, and takes inspiration from Formula One by both cooling the engine and helping with the car’s aerodynamics. It’s a hugely complicated arrangement, and one that McLaren proudly exclaims is one of its more advanced solutions ever created for the road. There’s also the matter of the huge rear diffuser and exposed gearbox, visible for all behind to see, which really makes the rear end sing. 

Speaking of which, the exhaust note has been overhauled versus the regular Coupé. Producing 605bhp, the V6 can now rev up to 8,500rpm, combining with the 95hp electric motor and twin-turbochargers to deliver a surge of power that crescendos to the red line. V8 fans needn’t worry that this car is missing two cylinders. It produces a raw, characterful sound that bounces around the cabin, sounding particularly fruity from 5,000rpm onwards. It’s further enhanced by McLaren’s signature rear window, which can be lowered, and is most dramatic with the roof down entirely. 

As I leave London, the Artura is in its least dramatic setting. Comfort mode prioritises pure electric power at low speeds, so pushing the ‘start/stop’ button makes no sound at all. It’s a novelty driving a McLaren in silent electric mode, but it’s a practical one too. There is no loud exhaust note to annoy the neighbours, and the lack of gear changes ensures smooth acceleration and braking through town. The electric range is 21 miles, so you won’t be able to drive too far without the cylinders firing up, but it’s possible to drive through and out of the city without making a sound. 

Heading out of the city and into Kent, you realise the Artura would make an excellent tourer. It’s incredibly comfortable, with the softest of its suspension settings allowing it to waft along the M20, and even when the engine kicks in, it is quiet enough to not bother you on long journeys. Of course, when you break away from the motorway and hit something twistier, the McLaren comes into its own. The snaking A20 on the way to Folkestone is an ample test with its sweeping fast corners and undulations. Switch the transmission to manual and up the powertrain and handling to Track and the Artura’s supercar credentials come to the fore. The hydraulic steering makes you feel connected to the road in a way electric steering simply can’t, and while the more sporty damping modes might be too much for the road, they allow you to feel every crevice and bump of the tarmac, giving you maximum confidence. To get the most from the Artura, you really need to be on track, as like many supercars it is simply too fast for UK roads. But when the space is available, it is extraordinarily fun. 

To finish my drive I head to Dungeness in Kent. It’s a large shingled area of headland, with a ramshackle contrast of old fisherman huts, million pound holiday homes and a still functioning power station providing a whirring background soundtrack. The McLaren sticks out, drawing plenty of attention from residents and visitors alike. Back in Electric mode it glides silently down the single track road, coming to a stop outside the The Britannia Inn pub. It is not quite an everyday supercar. It is too special for that. Like the best cars, it makes you feel good, whether wafting silently along, blasting down a B road or simply sitting back and looking at it.