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3 minute read

McLaren unveils new Artura hybrid supercar

McLaren has revealed its first-ever series-production high-performance hybrid supercar, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the pioneering luxury supercar company.

Underpinned by the McLaren philosophy of super-lightweight engineering, the all-new Artura is the distillation of every attribute inherent in a McLaren – distinctive design, dynamic excellence and engineering innovation – with electrification now bringing the additional benefits of even faster throttle response, lower emissions and being able to run in pure EV mode for emissions-free journeys of up to 19 miles.

With UK pricing from £185,500 and a top speed of 205mph, the Artura is the first model built on the new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA), uniquely optimised for high-performance hybrid powertrains and built in-house at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield region.

McLaren has unveiled its new Artura high-performance hybrid supercar / Picture: McLaren Automotive

 

Mike Flewitt, chief executive officer of McLaren Automotive, said: “Every drop of McLaren’s experience and expertise has been poured into the Artura. Our all-new, high-performance hybrid delivers all of the performance, driver engagement and dynamic excellence for which McLaren is renowned, with the additional benefit of EV driving capability. The introduction of the Artura is a landmark moment – for McLaren, for our customers who will appreciate and enjoy this car on every emotional and rational level, and for the supercar world.”

At the heart of the Artura’s powertrain is McLaren’s all-new, 2,993cc twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine. With a power output of 585PS – nearly 200 PS per litre – and 585Nm of torque, the dry-sump aluminium engine is compact and lightweight; at just 160kg it weighs 50kg less than a McLaren V8 and is significantly shorter, enhancing packaging efficiency.

Working in harmony with the new V6 is the Artura’s compact axial flux E-motor, located within the transmission bell housing. Smaller and more power-dense than a conventional radial flux E-motor, it is capable of generating 95PS and 225Nm and boasts a power density per kilo 33% greater than the system used in the McLaren P1™. The instantaneous nature of the motor’s torque delivery – known as ‘torque infill’ – is key to the car’s razor-sharp throttle response. ‘Off-the-line’ performance sees the Artura achieve 0-62mph in just 3.0 seconds, with 0-124mph taking 8.3 seconds and 0-186mph in 21.5 seconds. Top speed is limited to 205mph.

The dual propulsion systems are integrated via an engine disconnect clutch, driving an all-new, twin-clutch transmission, which has been developed specifically for the Artura. Despite having one more ratio than the existing McLaren transmission – to optimise power and torque delivery – the lightweight, short-ratio gear cluster is 40mm shorter in length. It also requires no reverse gear – the E-motor takes care of reversing by literally rotating in the opposite direction.

Artura is the first model to have the new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture, designed and manufactured at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in Sheffield / Picture: McLaren Automotive

 

The E-motor is powered by a battery pack comprising five lithium-ion modules, offering a usable energy capacity of 7.4kWh and a pure EV range of 19 miles. The battery is refrigerant cooled using cooling rails, and the assembly – including a power distribution unit which transfers battery power from the rear of the vehicle to the ancillaries in the front – is mounted on a structural carbon fibre floor. This assembly is then bolted onto the rear base of the monocoque, optimising stiffness, weight distribution and crash protection.

The Artura is designed with full Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) capability and can be charged to an 80% charge level in just 2.5 hours with a standard EVSE cable. The batteries can also harvest power from the combustion engine during driving, tailored to the driving mode selected.

Geoff Grose, chief engineer for the Artura, added: “From the very beginning of the project, designing and engineering the Artura has been all about challenging ourselves to innovate, pushing and pushing to achieve everything we knew a next-generation, high-performance hybrid McLaren supercar had to be. As a result, the Artura is all-new; the carbon fibre monocoque, electrical architecture and the body and interior are new. So too is the V6 engine, the transmission – which also integrates a new type of electric motor for the industry – as well as the rear suspension concept and our first-ever electronic differential.”

The McLaren Artura is the first model to have the new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) at its core. Designed and manufactured at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in the Sheffield region, MCLA sets a new standard for McLaren’s advanced flexible chassis design. Optimised for high-performance hybrid applications, it includes a bespoke battery compartment and introduces a ground-breaking domain-based ethernet electrical architecture, along with an electrical heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (eHVAC) system.


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