McLaren Artura

McLaren Artura at a glance

The Artura sits below the more powerful V8 models in a range that has included the McLaren 720S and the McLaren 620R. The McLaren catalogue lists the full range, and our history of McLaren describes how the Woking company grew from its racing roots.

Development and reveal

McLaren announced the name on 23 November 2020. According to Wikipedia, "Artura" combines the words "art" and "future". It also marked a change in naming, because the main McLaren models had previously carried numbers. The car itself was presented from the company's headquarters in Woking on 17 February 2021.

The Artura was a new design almost from the ground up. It brought a new structure, a new engine, a new gearbox, a new electrical system and McLaren's first electronic differential. Rob Melville is credited as designer. Hybrid drive was not new for McLaren, since the P1 and the Speedtail had used it, but the Artura was the first McLaren hybrid made in regular series numbers and the first with six cylinders.

Four driving modes are offered: E-mode, Comfort, Sport and Track. In E-mode the car drives on electricity alone; the other modes combine the engine and the motor.

Design and carbon structure

At the heart of the car is the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture, or MCLA. Launch reports describe a carbon fibre tub combined with aluminium crash structures at the front and rear and an aluminium subframe that carries the drivetrain. The body panels are made of carbon fibre and superformed aluminium.

The Artura is 4,539 mm long and 1,913 mm wide. Its wheelbase of 2,640 mm is 30 mm shorter than on McLaren's previous models, according to launch reports. The dihedral doors were redesigned to open closer to the body. Inside, launch reports mention a new one-piece clubsport seat and an 8-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system.

The electrical architecture uses Ethernet. According to IOL, this cut the length of the wiring by about 25 per cent and allows over-the-air software updates. Driver assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control and road-sign recognition are available.

The hybrid powertrain

The M630 engine is an all-aluminium 2,993 cc V6. Its two cylinder banks are set 120 degrees apart, a very wide angle that Wikipedia calls a world first for a production V6. The layout leaves room for the two turbochargers inside the vee, a so-called "hot-vee" design. The engine revs to 8,500 rpm. Autocar India reports that it is built by Ricardo at Shoreham in West Sussex.

The axial-flux electric motor sits in the bell housing of the gearbox. It also replaces the reverse gear, so the Artura reverses on electric power alone. Combined torque is lower than the sum of the two sources, because McLaren limits it for better drivability.

The 7.4 kWh lithium-ion battery weighs 88 kg and is mounted under the rear of the cabin. McLaren quotes 80 per cent charge in 2.5 hours with a standard charging cable and an electric range of 31 km under European test rules. In total the hybrid components add about 130 kg.

Chassis, gearbox and differential

The rear wheels are driven through a new eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The electronic differential is a first for a modern McLaren. Earlier models used an open differential and controlled the torque between the rear wheels by braking the inner wheel. The new rear suspension uses a multi-link design that, according to Wikipedia, increases toe stiffness by 75 per cent.

Performance and weight

The coupé's kerb weight of 1,498 kg is only 46 kg more than that of the 570S, according to Wikipedia. Autocar India gives 1,495 kg. For the Spider, automobile.at quotes a dry weight of 1,457 kg, 62 kg more than the coupé.

The 2024 update and the Artura Spider

In February 2024 McLaren presented the Artura Spider and updated the coupé at the same time. According to automobile.at, system output rose by about 15 kW to 515 kW (700 PS), while torque stayed at 720 Nm. Electric range grew to up to 33 km. Existing coupé owners could have the extra power installed free of charge at a McLaren dealer.

The update also brought revised engine mounts, a new exhaust, quicker gear changes, a new cooling layout with extra brake ducts, lighter brake calipers and revised dampers. The Spider has a retractable hardtop of carbon fibre and composite that opens or closes in 11 seconds at up to 50 km/h. An electrochromic glass panel is optional.

In Germany, McLaren listed the updated coupé at €248,500 and the Spider at €273,000 in 2024. In Austria the Spider was quoted from €285,139 in 2025, including local taxes. Deliveries of both versions began in mid-2024.

Racing: Artura GT4 and Artura Trophy

McLaren unveiled the Artura GT4 in June 2022 as the successor to the 570S GT4. It uses the same twin-turbo V6, but without the hybrid system, which GT4 rules do not allow. The car made its racing debut at Daytona in 2023 in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. The Artura Trophy is a less restricted version for McLaren's own one-make series, which started in 2023. In it, owners can change the aerodynamics, adjust the engine management and add ballast.

Legacy

The Artura moved the base of McLaren's range from a pure V8 to a hybrid V6. Its structure, its electrical system and its electronic differential were all new for the company. With the Spider and the 2024 update the model became a family, and its racing versions put the same V6 on the grid.

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