Back in February, McLaren unveiled its entry-level supercar for the masses (well, the still relatively well off masses, at least): the Artura. Unlike many past "new" McLarens that some would consider remixes of the same formula, the Artura is a genuinely new car, using McLaren's new MCLA platform and a new hybrid twin-turbo V6 engine to replace the traditional twin-turbo V8.
That was about all we knew about the new car — until now, at least. McLaren has just dumped a whole bunch of technical details on how the new Artura will work; here, then, are some of the important bits.
The new engine with be a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 hybrid, developed from the ground up to be a hybrid. The cylinders are arranged in a 120-degree "hot-vee" alignment. The turbochargers sit in the valley created allowing for compact, efficient engine functioning. That engine is about 7.5 inches shorter than the McLaren V8 and 110 pounds lighter; the internal-combustion component puts out 577 horsepower and 431 lb-ft of torque.
The relatively small 7.4-kWh battery pack will be mounted to the MCLA floor behind the driver in the middle of the car. (McLaren says it is positioned that way for optimal weight distribution and protection in the event of a crash.) It puts out 94 hp and 166 lb-ft of torque on its own, and offers the car a little under 20 miles of EV range (under European testing). The total weight for the hybrid setup is just 287 pounds — and McLaren shaves off further weight from the Artura by having the EV motor operate in reverse instead of having a reverse gear.
All told, the Artura will have 671 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque combined, with a curb weight of just 3,303 lbs. McLaren says it will accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 3.0 seconds and 0-124 mph in 8.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 205 mph.
On the handling front, the Artura gets a new multi-link suspension for better handling and proactive damping control. It will also be the first McLaren fitted with an electronic limited-slip rear differential, as well.
McLaren also included improvements on the everyday usability front. A new camera system will permit features adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings and surround-view parking. The bass speakers have been integrated into the monocoque for better performance. There's even 5.7 cubic feet of luggage space in the frunk if you have a laptop bag you want to store.
