Artura in the UK

[Macboy]

Has anyone driven an Artura yet? A mate asked me the other day as he's keen to drive one and his dealer hasn't been in touch yet. I've not seen one on the road or at my local retailer. The press launch seems to have been rather staccato - a reveal then a gap, then some press track drives and then...not much else from McLaren. Are the actually being built/delivered/demoed?

[TBCReece]

Unsure if they're being delivered but fairly sure some journalists experienced mechanical/technical issues on the press days. I think Evo reported a fire in the engine bay so that may have delayed things a little?

[DarthtaterM16]

I saw one on the road in Oxfordshire a few months ago now. Possibly as far back as January.
looked very purposeful in the metal I must say.

[McBen]

I'm 1 of the lucky few who has driven the Artura - an amazing piece of kit.
Looks far better in person, many may have seen the cars doing the rounds at shows around the world - a few even went up the hill at Goodwood.

The car is worth the wait and will be a 'game changer'

[Smoothound]

McBen said:

I'm 1 of the lucky few who has driven the Artura - an amazing piece of kit.
Looks far better in person, many may have seen the cars doing the rounds at shows around the world - a few even went up the hill at Goodwood.

The car is worth the wait and will be a 'game changer'

Over 2 years late, software and engine issues still causing delays it will be interesting to see when production cars actually arrive! Don't get me wrong I'm intested but for me currently there have been and are too many issues for me to consider it for a good while...

[Buster73]

Saw one in the flesh at the Salon Prive do at Chelsea in April , good looking car,

[Buster73]

[Buster73]

[tyrrell]

Very tidy packaging of the new V6

[tyrrell]

[Frogmella]

The US Driving Experiences have been going on all summer. One of the team I spoke to who has been on the project for a while now says the cars are now working


I beat the snot out of one in Dallas on a trackday and it was pretty special. 100f heat and 3 days on track, didn't miss a beat.

[DRZ]

Went up to McLaren Manchester in the GT to drive the new Artura.

A few thoughts:

It feels a lot more grown up to me compared to the Sport Series cars of the past. The doors look and feel better designed, the seat controls aren't infuriatingly stupid, the sat nav works, there's absolutely not even a hint of a rattle anywhere, its got adaptive cruise and lane keep assist (if you want it, it is off by default) etc etc. In pure usability terms at least, it is a huge step on from the 570S. If you spec a tracker from the factory, the tracker fob is aparrently built into the key which is both nice and a little stupid at the same time. The seats in the demonstrator are the comparatively rubbish comfort seats instead of the masterpiece that is the Clubsport buckets. If there are comfier bucket seats out there, I want to know about it because honestly the Clubsport seats are incredible. Anyway, this car didn't have them so I felt like I was sat a little too high. Oh, and when you move the wheel the dash screen moves with it, so if you like seeing everything on the screen at once then lets just hope you're the perfect height! Visibility is excellent, forward and back. Rearwards, better than a 720S, maybe slightly better than my GT. Reversing cameras level the playing field when parking but it is nice to have useful mirrors. After a little while you get a tremendous amount of heat haze from the "chimney" on the rear deck which does compromise the rear view a little but it is worthwhile for the little bit of visual drama

Starting the car is a little alien as it doesn't start when you push the button. It just sits there in electric mode, ready for you to push the throttle pedal and off you go. If you nudge it up into Sport or Track mode the computer fires up the engine instantly, else you're going to have to wait until either you want more power than the 95bhp electric motor can deliver or you're going more than 40mph. When the V6 does kick in, I found myself a little surprised at how loud it is in the cabin. Not overbearing but a lot louder than you'd think it would be. It also sounds pretty decent by any modern standard as a result. I think from the outside it'll be whisper quiet even with the optional Sports exhaust but I think that is the modern way now - quiet for everyone but the occupants. The V6 is almost a boxer, 120 degree V so sounds different to any V6 I've owned or driven before. It sounds great IMO, bassy but not the same throatiness like you'd get from say a Busso V6. Plenty of rumbles on overrun but nothing outrageous - nothing like the F-Type V6S for example which is the benchmark for V6 overrun noises. Given this is a modern hybrid subject to all the eco legislation stuff I think they've done a pretty good job of making it sound good.

Bearing in mind this was a damp and windy day in the grim North, I wasn't surprised to find that a boot full of throttle immediately translates into an armful of opposite lock. Cold Pirelli tyres and instant torque are not a good combination. Composure re-attained and a more gentle application of the throttle indicated that this car sits more or less exactly where you would expect it to be given the nominal 680ps power output - somewhere in between the 570S and 720S. I'd say it was more 570S than 720S by seat feel, there isn't the high-RPM adrenaline-pumping engine fireworks insanity of the 720S rewarding you for wringing it out to the redline but yet I never felt like it was slow (because it isn't slow, its 3s 0-60, 8s to 100 etc etc!!). Despite this, for whatever reason (I couldn't put my finger on it), it feels almost heavy. Maybe muted is more like it, I'd have to have a much longer drive to work it out. Refined perhaps. Whatever the word is, stepping back into the driving seat of the GT and pushing off into the evening traffic provided an immediate contrast. There's a levity to driving the GT (and 720S) that isn't there in the Artura. I definitely feel like I need another drive on a warm dry day where the tyres have some hope of delivering traction as perhaps it reveals its true character at 7 or 8 tenths...

Finally, the cost. I've specced one up in two forms, one sensible and one slightly pushing the boat out with a few select bits of carbon fibre here and there. Base is £190k, sensible spec is £235k, "moar carbon" spec is £250k. Considering the Ferrari 296GTB is ~£100k more with a similar sort of spec, I'd say the Artura is relatively keenly priced. That said, I can't help but wonder if it is a sensible thing to buy Artura at £250k when that money gets you into a very well spec'd lightly-used 720S Spider. Or a Huracan Evo Spyder. I couldn't change before late Summer no matter what so that question is academic for me at the moment

Edited by DRZ on Saturday 19th November 18:27

[RBT0]

Thanks for the writing, quite insightful.

I’ll stick with my 600LT and wait for an Artura LT if any better, however I definitely want to test drive the plain Artura soon to check on new stuff they’ve put on it.

[DRZ]

RBT0 said:

Thanks for the writing, quite insightful.

I’ll stick with my 600LT and wait for an Artura LT if any better, however I definitely want to test drive the plain Artura soon to check on new stuff they’ve put on it.

I've heard from more than one place that the "LT" branding is gone, instead there might well be an Artura S and/or an R. Time will tell...

There is also a 720S facelift imminent, could be called a 750S. Hushed conversations all but confirming it having 750bhp and some of the 765LT aero bits and pieces but again we'll see.

[justin220]

Great post, very interesting!

[Grey_Area]

DRZ said:

RBT0 said:

Thanks for the writing, quite insightful.

I’ll stick with my 600LT and wait for an Artura LT if any better, however I definitely want to test drive the plain Artura soon to check on new stuff they’ve put on it.

I've heard from more than one place that the "LT" branding is gone, instead there might well be an Artura S and/or an R. Time will tell...

There is also a 720S facelift imminent, could be called a 750S. Hushed conversations all but confirming it having 750bhp and some of the 765LT aero bits and pieces but again we'll see.

Wasn’t there an owner’s comment about spotting a 750 in the wilds, or was he just playing about?

[RBT0]

Oh dear if they delete the LT lineup I am out of McLaren unless they introduce something even better and track focused.

Ffs it was/is the best alternative to Ferraris spiced V8 CS/Scud/Pista and Porsches GT3/RS.

That would be a big mistake.

[DRZ]

Grey_Area said:

Wasn’t there an owner’s comment about spotting a 750 in the wilds, or was he just playing about?

Not seen that, though when I was at the MTC a few weeks back I asked if such a car existed and was met with a stern look and a telling silence

RBT0 said:

Oh dear if they delete the LT lineup I am out of McLaren unless they introduce something even better and track focused.

Ffs it was/is the best alternative to Ferraris spiced V8 CS/Scud/Pista and Porsches GT3/RS.

That would be a big mistake.

I think the S and/or R will be the hardcore/track focussed cars, a la 620R. I don't think they're abandoning the idea, just the branding (as Ferrari abandoned CS for Scuderia for Pista...)

[Grey_Area]

DRZ said:

I think the S and/or R will be the hardcore/track focussed cars, a la 620R. I don't think they're abandoning the idea, just the branding (as Ferrari abandoned CS for Scuderia for Pista...)

I've pasted the comment here:

Just seen the 750s Spider on the road 😳
Fully camouflaged up but looked good (as it would based on 720s 😁)
The rear looked like it had GT style lights 🤔 front didn’t look very different but I didn’t click what it was until I drew up next to it (opposite carriageway) and looked like it had a few more body adornments?

[RBT0]

Indeed I can’t believe they’re ditching the memorable Long Tail branding for a mere and bland S/R.

Nothing close to the memorable Ferrari branding which is unique.