Mclaren Artura Spider 2024 Review

Artura didn’t exactly get off to a smooth start. To recap: the first of a new generation of McLarens, it’s a hybrid model that combines an all-new ICE with an electric motor and plug-in capacity. As well as improving overall performance and increasing efficiency, it’s a supercar that you can quietly zip around town with, using a sacred whiff of gas and giving out nothing more than a congratulatory message.

That was the goal anyway. Unfortunately, Artura v1.0 suffered a delayed launch and various ailments when she finally landed, some of them company-owned, others caused by forces beyond her control. McLaren obviously doesn’t spin it that way, but the arrival of the Arturo Spider means an early reboot of the model as a whole. With some upgrades.

Hmm. They were glad to finally get there. So what’s new?

Obviously, the Spider will get a folding hardtop for extra feel and slightly altered aesthetics. Other changes promise more power, more power and more driver involvement, McLaren says. It’s fair to say this bunch are fans of former British Cycling boss Steve Brailsford’s ‘marginal gains’ philosophy. They just won’t stop tinkering, but as always with McLaren, the devil is in the details. The hybrid 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 now has a nice round total of 700bhp (a less eye-catching but still extremely useful 690bhp). That’s a 20bhp increase over the Artura v1.0, an upgrade that McLaren dealers will offer to owners of the earlier FOC car.

This was and will be one hell of an engine. It weighs just 160kg, 50kg less than the 4.0-litre V8 that has powered most McLarens to date. It’s also impressively compact and has a low center of gravity. Rather than a 90-degree V, the cylinders sit at a 120-degree angle, which also reduces pressure loss in the exhaust. The twin turbos are placed in a “hot vee” configuration, which means they can spin faster with useful consequences for throttle response.

The Artura v2.0 also gets a redesigned exhaust system with a new resonator and tapered tailpipe to sharpen the engine’s tone in the mid and higher rev range. We remember discussing the finer points of the engine’s soundtrack with McLaren CEO Michael Leiters when the technical wizard was still at Ferrari. He likes a sports car to sound operatic.

Are there more changes for MY25 – yet? – Arthur. The new engine mounting limits movement of the drivetrain within the chassis, especially under load. Stability, steering feel and agility are said to have improved as a result. The adaptive dampers get new valves and changes to the control software speed up and shorten the response time for even more intense body control.

What about the hybrid part of the mix? Are there any changes?

The Artura uses the same axial e-motor, which is integrated into the gearbox bell housing. McLaren engineers found room by dropping reverse gear; e-motor can do the job. It’s good for the same 94bhp and 166lb ft as before, although it now kicks in a little earlier and is powered by a 7.4kWh battery that’s packed behind the seats.

Claimed range in electric mode has increased from 19 miles to 21, a modest increase that may evaporate in the real world, but illustrates the improvements in energy density that can be achieved. More marginal profits. Also note that Artura’s chassis includes an Ethernet electrical network that reduces cabling by 25 percent and increases data capacity and speed. Another weight saving.

And the Spider part?

All this thanks to a folding fixed roof made of carbon composite, powered by eight electric motors. It can be activated using the key fob or the centrally located overhead switch for the interior lighting. It takes 11 seconds to open or close and can do so at speeds up to 31 mph. Optional is an electrochromic glass panel (scroll through the gallery above), which can block 99 percent of the sun’s rays with another push of a button and uses so-called “Suspended Particle” technology to reduce heat transfer. The small heated rear window can also be electrically raised or lowered for more air or noise.

The Artura armrests – one of the coupe’s distinctive styling elements – have glazed sections to improve the view to the rear. Some aero thermal trickery involving new ducting keeps the engine cool even with the roof tucked away. There is also a reshaped windscreen frame – a mini Gurney flap – to reduce impacts in the cabin.

The McLaren Artura Spider is a cleverly packaged car. And a more complex design than meets the eye, aided by the use of superforming to produce the aluminum body panels.

Bandwidth is the word here. By becoming the Spider and version 2.0, Artura somehow regains the character he lacked while banishing the gremlins that destroyed his beginnings. Touting its comfort and ease of use is like a prelude to damning it with faint praise until you find the kind of roads that allow its chassis to really shine. It’s a deeply impressive car, easy to drive quickly but with additional layers that reveal themselves the more you push it.

The exterior design remains a little polite for a car of this type, and despite the changes to the engine and exhaust, it still doesn’t sound as dramatic as it could be. Still, the Artura Spider is a very satisfying place to be and a compelling rival to the likes of the Aston Martin Vantage, (much more expensive) Ferrari 296 GTS, Lamborghini Huracán Spyder, Mercedes AMG GT and Porsche 911 Turbo.