5 thoughts about McLaren’s new plug-in hybrid hypercar
When a representative from McLaren contacted me to see if I’d have time to drive their new hypercar, my immediate answer was yes. As a car fan, you would say the same.The Artura is all new, the latest addition to the McLaren lineup, and the British maker’s first series production hybrid gasoline-electric model. It is, in fact, a plug-in-hybrid, or PHEV — more on that later. According to reps, the Artura slots into the McLaren lineup between the 750 and the GT.
Even on a restricted schedule on public roads, I conjured five thoughts about the 2023 McLaren Artura. In a world where every pound saved makes for better performance, this creative solution to the reversing issue makes sense — as long as your battery has enough charge. When I took delivery of the Artura, it came with a walkaround of the features and a lecture about the battery. As a PHEV, the Artura can travel on battery power alone for up to 11 miles.
The steering is telepathic. It’s so precise the Artura seems to sense where you want it to go. You can go around curves without course correction, and avoiding obstacles is a matter of letting your hands follow your eyes to clean pavement. I wish I could have driven the Artura all day — I guess that’s why McLaren specified a 150-mile limit. Because I would have otherwise exceeded that figure during my 27 hours.