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If you're sold on the idea of a PHEV supercar, then you'll find the McLaren Artura Spider difficult to resist. You can do your bit for the environment and experience more of it while doing so. What's not to like? Just the lottery-level price....
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Driving experience
The engineering of course is basically the same as in the Artura Coupe. So there's no familiar twin turbo V8 nestling in the rear aluminium subframe here. Instead, we're treated to a 3.0-litre twin turbo V6, a direct injection combustion unit that's been worked on for the model year 2025 Artura, now producing 596bhp (19bhp more than the original Coupe model could offer) while revving (across a wider band) as high as 8,500rpm. The transmission (an 8-speed dual clutch gearbox that incorporates a clever e-differential and was from the Artura's launch completely new to McLaren) got revisions for its installation in this Spider model too, shifting 25% faster. As with the original Artura Coupe, there's a 94bhp axial flux e-motor that acts as a reverse gear and creates a total output that with the powertrain upgrades is rated at 690bhp, with 720Nm of torque. The basic performance stats haven't changed much, so 62mph from rest flashes by in just 3s, 124mph takes 8.3s and the top speed is 205mph. There's also an added function that allows you to spin the rear tyres up when planting the throttle from a standstill.
As usual with McLaren, there are selectable handling and powertrain modes. In either case, you choose between 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'Track', with an extra 'Electric' 'e-mode' available in the 'Powertrain' menu, allowing battery-only driving for short distances in urban travel. One feature that isn't new on this car is McLaren's trademark hydraulically-assisted steering. The brand thinks that no electric steering system can provide this set-up's level of driver feedback - and they could be right. It's combined with a bespoke version of McLaren's 'Proactive Damping System', which delivers class-leading standards of ride. Braking performance is also exceptional, thanks to carbon ceramic brakes with lightweight aluminium calipers. Get on a circuit and there's a 15-stage Variable Drift Control system to play with too.
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Design and build
So, let's talk about the roof, the main difference obviously over the Artura Coupe. It's not fabric: instead, like a Maserati MC20 Spyder, it's an electrically-folding hard top, framed in carbon fibre or with an electrochromic glass panel. That roof can activate at speeds of up to 31mph and deploy in 11 seconds, which is one of the fastest-folding tops of any convertible on sale. Quite a lot of re-engineering has been necessary to make this convertible body style work: the roof mechanism sits where the engine cooling vent is on the Coupe, with air being extracted via newly designed ducts.
A lot of attention has been paid to aerodynamics: there's an 8mm foil on the windscreen to smooth airflow across the interior. McLaren says that this has been tuned to be most effective between 30 and 90mph because that range is where most owners will be cruising with the roof down. The brand has also added a symposer to emphasise the exhaust note, creating what company believes is a more 'authentic' sound. At the same time, the symposer is supposed to make the car more refined when cruising, but more vocal when under heavy acceleration.
Otherwise, things are much the same as with the Artura Coupe. Signature McLaren dihedral doors admit you to the expected driver-focused cockpit, with optional Clubsports seats and a grippy steering wheel stripped of the usual buttons. The infotainment and connectivity system uses two high definition screens. And the Active Panel set-up used in other McLarens for switching drive modes has been replaced by a rocker switch mounted up near the instrument binnacle. You'll need to pack light: there are no rear seats of course. And, as with the Coupe, there's only 160-litres of luggage space.
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Market and model
The Artura Spider costs from around £223,000, about £20,000 more than its Coupe counterpart but around £50,000 less than its Plug-in Supercar arch-rival, the Ferrari 296 GTS. The price just quoted is for the standard model. There are three key specification options if you want to build on that. 'Performance' has 'a sporting, functional aesthetic'; 'TechLux' has a 'focus on technical luxury'; and 'Vision' displays 'a more avant-garde and adventurous look and feel'.
Standard features on the base model include 10-spoke super lightweight forged alloy wheels that are 19-inches at the front and 20-inches at the rear, come shod with Pirelli P-Zero tyres and feature carbon ceramic brake discs and black branded calipers. Launch control, cruise control, an automatic speed limiter and Variable Drift Control also come as standard. As do automatic LED headlamps with levelling. Inside, the cabin's swathed in Alcantara and the infotainment set-up includes navigation, a McLaren Audio System, voice control and 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Plus there's also dual-zone air conditioning and a power adjustable steering column.
All of the three extra cost packages we mentioned include Nappa leather upholstery. Individual options include Adaptive LED headlamps, a 'vehicle lift' system to help you over speed humps, power-folding mirrors, a rear view camera, a 360-degree parking assist system, adaptive cruise control and a Bowers & Wilkins 12-speaker audio system.
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Cost of ownership
Did you ever think you'd be reading about a convertible McLaren Supercar capable of 58.9mpg on the combined cycle and 108g/km of CO2. The Coupe manages 61.5mpg and 104g/km. These figures are possible thanks to the contribution of the Artura's e-motor. It almost aways starts in e-mode and if you stay in that setting, you'll theoretically be able to drive for up to 21 miles at speeds of up to 81mph without troubling the V6 engine. Plugged in, the 7.4kWh battery will need two and a half hours to recharge itself to 80% with a standard EVSE cable - and you can recharge it using the engine on the move too.
The e-motor isn't the only thing contributing to efficiency here. McLaren has managed to keep the dry weight of this car to under 1.4 tonnes - on a par with non-Hybrid rivals. Much of that is down to the Artura's new 'MCLA' 'McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture' chassis, a carbon fibre monocoque with aluminium crash structures at the front and aluminium rear subframes, plus a clever electrical system that uses ethernet cabling instead of traditional wiring looms.
Group 50 insurance means that buyers will be keeping their brokers in Beaujolais. Of course, many owners will acquire this McLaren as just one of a stable of models and will have negotiated their own multi-car deal with their insurer. You don't get the seven year 'free' servicing package that Ferrari offers, so you'll have to pick up the tab yourself for routine maintenance, which will be required every 12,400 miles or 12 months, depending on which comes round sooner. Every second year the car will need a full oil change too. With expensive consumables and high labour rates, you'll certainly need to know what you're letting yourself in for. What else? Well the paint surface is warranted for three years, visible cosmetic corrosion for five years and perforation corrosion of the vehicle body is covered for ten years. There's a 5 year vehicle warranty and a 6 year battery warranty.
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Summary
McLaren says 'we want to make cars that our customers go to pick from their garage most often because they fit into their lives, they're fun to drive but they're no compromise'. Does the Artura Spider really fit that brief? Not really. You'll need the forthcoming McLaren SUV for that. In an Artura Spider, just as in an Artura Coupe, you'll worry about speed humps and potholes, tight parking spaces and overly interested bystanders getting grubby fingers on the paintwork. For all these reasons, a millionaire owner might find it a lot easier to pick something more practical from his or her oak-timbered garage.
But that would be a pity to do every day because any journey in an Artura Spider will be a real experience. Even when the weather is inclement, thanks to the glass-topped roof. A better experience than a rival Ferrari 296 GTS? That's a tough call. But Ferrari wants a lot more money from you for their take on an open topped PHEV supercar. Which might just be enough to sway you McLaren's way.
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