The new McLaren Artura plug-in hybrid supercar will be offered in four variants, namely Standard, Performance, TechLux, and Vision
McLaren has revealed its first series-production high-performance hybrid supercar, i.e. the Artura. The Artura is the first car to be built on the new and in-house McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) that has been optimised for HPH powertrains, and the car aims to offer a blend of performance, driving dynamics as well as engagement with EV driving capability.
The Artura has been designed using super-formed aluminium and carbon fibre in order to save weight since it packs a heavy hybrid powertrain that includes an electric motor as well as a battery pack. The British automaker has managed to keep the dry weight of the supercar down to just 1,395 kg out of which the hybrid components constitute just 130 kg of weight, including an 88 kg battery pack and a 15.4 kg electric motor.
Powering the McLaren plug-in hybrid supercar is a new 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbocharged petrol engine that works in tandem with an electric motor and an energy-dense battery pack. The hybrid powertrain puts out a combined 680 PS of maximum power and 720 Nm of peak torque. This means that the Artura has a power-to-weight ratio of 488 PS/tonne.
The engine is mated to a new and lightweight dual-clutch transmission has 8 forward gears, but it has no reverse gear. Instead of the reverse gear, the car just runs the electric motor backward. The axial flux electric motor is contained entirely within the bell housing of the car’s transmission.
The gearbox handles power from both the engine and the electric motor, which means that in EV mode, the engine can be completely disconnected from the wheels, while at low speeds, the electric motor is used to smooth out the gear shifts.
McLaren claims that the Artura’s battery can be charged to 80 per cent in just 2.5 hours with a standard EVSE cable and it can also be charged by the internal combustion engine while driving depending on the driving mode selected.
The hybrid supercar can sprint from 0 – 100 km/h in just three seconds, 0 – 200 km/h in 8.3 seconds and 0 – 300 km/h in 21.5 seconds, before topping out at an electronically limited top speed of 330 km/h.
The features on offer include a new 8-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone mirroring, advanced driver assistance systems, Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, integrated stolen vehicle tracking, Clubsport seats with adjustable under-thigh support, seat height and backrest in just one movement.
