MCLAREN'S LATEST INCARNATION OF THE ARTURA SPIDER AND COUPE HAS ARRIVED.
The new McLaren Artura Spider is the company’s first-ever convertible that utilises a high-performance hybrid powertrain, and it’s the second generation of the Artura so it features significant power upgrades with improved performance and even better driver engagement. The addition of a retractable hard-top that opens or closes in just 11 seconds provides a full convertible experience, making the Artura even more desirable by the world’s 1%-ers. “The new Artura is absolutely the complete next-generation supercar, whichever model you choose. We have upgraded the powertrain and the chassis systems to deliver more power, more dynamic performance and even higher levels of connection with the driver – without any compromise in everyday driving. And now alongside the new Artura coupe, we have the Artura Spider, a new convertible that has all of these improvements and brings another dimension of open-air McLaren supercar exhilaration to our range.” says Michael Leiters, CEO of McLaren Automotive. McLaren’s relentless focus on its super-lightweight engineering philosophy means the new Artura Spider has a dry weight of just 1,457 kg which is a mere 62 kg more than the Artura coupe and also makes it the lightest among convertible supercars by at least 83 kg. The McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) provides a secure platform with no loss of rigidity when the fixed roof is removed. Beyond the core carbon fibre monocoque, MCLA also incorporates aluminium impact structures and a rear structure that houses the hybrid powertrain. There’s also an innovative ethernet electrical architecture as part of MCLA that reduces cabling by 25%, which means a further saving in weight. Added to that, Artura’s compact hybrid componentry that includes an 88 kg battery pack and a 15.4 kg E-motor adds a mere 130 kg to the overall weight. Less weight means better performance, and to make it even better, the Artura also features upgrades to the powerplant. Of course, there are many more changes under the skin and to specialist components, but as we like to mention, here at SXdrv it’s all about power and performance specs.
With the new Artura making 515 kW and 720 Nm of torque, the lighter weight now gives the car an amazing power-to-weight ratio of 383 kW per ton. To get that power figure, the powertrain has been recalibrated and now features almost 15 kW than before. Powering the new Artura is the favoured McLaren M630 powerplant, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre dry-sump aluminium that weighs a mere 160 kg. The powerplant features a revised valved exhaust system incorporating a tuned resonator and upward conical shape to the tailpipes to further refine the engine note at the middle and higher points of the rev range to provide a ‘cleaner’ sound, but if it was going to be an SXdrv car, we’d take the optional sports exhaust system for a better soundtrack. Giving the setup brilliant response is an additional compact axial flux E-motor that’s found in the transmission bell housing It creates 70 kW and a healthy 225 Nm. It takes power from a usable energy battery with a capacity of 7.4kWh that can give the car an increased EV range of 33 km. For performance, there’s a launch control system for optimised performance that features a new ‘Spinning Wheel Pull-Away’ feature that’s activated by disengaging the ESC by pressing the ESC button allowing for dramatic wheelspin when accelerating from a standstill with the loud pedal mashed into the monocoque’s floor. The result, along with a bunch of other cool factors and technologies, means the new McLaren Artura Spider can do a 0-100 km/h launch in just 3.0 seconds, a 0-200 km/h run in just 8.4 seconds and can hit 300km/h in a stupendously-fast 21.6 seconds. The top speed has been electronically limited to 330km/h. The braking performance is just as important as the speed, and as expected, it’s also rather impressive. With new carbon ceramic discs and lightweight aluminium calipers, the braking system works in conjunction with rear-axle kinematics and revised ABS calibration means the braking distance for the Artura sees it come to a stop from 100 km/h in just 31 m, and from 200 km/h in an equally impressive 124m. In the UK, the Artura Spider is listed £221,500 (roughly R5,380,000) for the standard specification, but there are three other interior specifications available for an additional £5,050 each. There’s also an extended palette of exterior paint options - 20 Elite colours, 5 standard colours and 18 MSO colours.
Take a look at the YouTube video all about the latest incarnation of the McLaren Artura in both coupe and spider guise. The car is lighter, faster and just that much cooler. The convertible version is now the lightest car of its kind in the world by over 80 kg, and if you know anything about cars at this level of construction and performance, that's a large number: The New Artura. Performance amplified. Next Generation Spider and Coupe. | McLaren Automotive
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