When a representative from McLaren contacted me to see if I’d have time to drive their new hypercar, my immediate answer was yes. As a car fan, you would say the same.
A few weeks later, a 2023 McLaren Artura sat in my driveway, begging for my attention.
The Artura is all new, the latest addition to the McLaren lineup, and the British maker’s first series production hybrid gasoline-electric model. It is, in fact, a plug-in-hybrid, or PHEV — more on that later. According to reps, the Artura slots into the McLaren lineup between the 750 and the GT.
I’ve driven McLaren models before on tracks and public roads. This time, my loan period was about 27 hours from drop off to pick up, and all my driving took place on public roads in and around my home outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan — not precisely the Stelvio Pass or Big Sur. McLaren asked me to keep the miles below 150, and I did because I want to be on the list the next time a McLaren press car visits Michigan.
The 2023 McLaren Artura carries a list price of $233,000. With accessories including a $5,200 carbon-fiber interior pack, $9,400 TechLux Spec, $5,500 Serpentine Exterior Elite Paint, and a $4,500 destination charge, the as-tested price came to $289,175.
Even on a restricted schedule on public roads, I conjured five thoughts about the 2023 McLaren Artura.
Thought No. 1: The Artura could be your daily driver
The 2023 McLaren Artura
McLaren
Supercars or hypercars are hard to live with. If you’ve spent time in a Lamborghini or a Ferrari
RACE,
you know that’s true. Not only are they challenging to enter and exit, but they are usually a tight fit for American proportions. Even though they have lusty engines with great exhaust notes, they are so noisy inside you can barely converse.
The Artura, on the other hand, is grown up. Sure, it’s low to the ground and uses scissor doors, but it is roomy and comfortable inside for drivers and passengers. I found it easier to get in and out of than a BMW Z4, and so did my wife (and we’re no spring chickens). We could talk while I drove and listen to the OK audio system. If you want to drive your car and not just let it sit around in the garage and appreciate, it’s got to be comfortable and inviting.
The Artura wants to drive. It rewards you with more than just pure performance.
Thought No. 2: Using the electric motor for reverse is innovative but quirky
It wouldn’t be a supercar without quirks. The Artura’s got a few, none more unique than the hybrid drive system. The all-new 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission has no reverse gear. Instead, McLaren engages the electric motor to drive the rear wheels when it’s time to go backward.
The 2023 McLaren Artura
McLaren
In a world where every pound saved makes for better performance, this creative solution to the reversing issue makes sense — as long as your battery has enough charge. When I took delivery of the Artura, it came with a walkaround of the features and a lecture about the battery. As a PHEV, the Artura can travel on battery power alone for up to 11 miles. Should a driver drain the drive battery entirely and then park the car, they’d have a rude awakening when they attempted to reverse out of a spot.
The solution is to monitor your battery’s state while you drive (there’s a graphic gauge on the instrument panel,) or to plug it into power when you park. The Artura has a CCS port and a charging cable for Level 1 (household 120-volt) or Level 2 (240-volt) power. The PHEV setup delivers 39 MPGe, and driving in gasoline-only mode results in 18 mpg.
See: Your complete guide to MPGe, the electric equivalent of miles per gallon
Thought No. 3: The ergonomics inside the cabin are better than previous McLaren models
Beyond the ease of entry and exit, McLaren has upgraded the switchgear and infotainment setups in the Artura over their other models. The significant change a driver will notice is that the drive mode selectors now flank the instrument panel. I could reach them without taking my hands off the steering wheel or my eyes off the road. The infotainment system shares a lot of functionality with the Volvo
VLVLY,
Sensus system, so I found it easy to get used to during my brief affair with the Artura.
The portrait-oriented touchscreen presents as bands of clustered control areas and responds to familiar drag and swipe controls, like an iPad. I would have liked more time to explore, as there are some nested commands, but that would come with some driving experience. My wife appreciated the actual cupholder in the center console (she always has a Diet Dr Pepper in hand), and I welcomed the ample elbow room in the cabin.
Also read: The 2024 Chevy Corvette review: It’s all about the E-Ray, the fastest Corvette ever.
Thought No. 4: The Artura is a blast to drive, even on everyday roads
The 2023 McLaren Artura
McLaren
Under 150 miles on public roads was enough time to fall in love. The Artura delivers all the acceleration you could want, effortlessly and smoothly. When you must haul it down from speed, say to go slow over one of Michigan’s notorious pavement bumps, the brakes engage without complaint or over-gripping, giving perfect feel.
The steering is telepathic. It’s so precise the Artura seems to sense where you want it to go. You can go around curves without course correction, and avoiding obstacles (like Michigan’s famous car-swallowing potholes) is a matter of letting your hands follow your eyes to clean pavement. I wish I could have driven the Artura all day — I guess that’s why McLaren specified a 150-mile limit. Because I would have otherwise exceeded that figure during my 27 hours.
Thought No. 5: The Artura is so stunning even cows gather to look at it
Supercar posters hang on teenagers’ walls, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t gorgeous, grown-up works of art. The Artura is art in motion and in repose. Don’t drive one if you don’t want attention. Even though it only sat in my driveway for a short time, neighbors found a way to drop by for a look. Cars slowed down as they drove past my house. We stopped in the countryside to take a few pictures of the car for this article, parked on a lane beside a small dairy farm. Within minutes, a herd of black and white cows relocated from the far end of the field to examine the Artura. I’ve never seen anything like it — and I guess the cows had never seen a plug-in hybrid supercar before. I hope they enjoyed it half as much as I did.
Read more: The new 2023 McLaren Artura hybrid supercar is a head-turning exotic coupe, and we drove it through Nevada’s Valley of Fire
The wrap: Just drive.
You may never own a McLaren Artura. I know I won’t. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to learn from exploring one. Whenever I drive a supercar, I learn something about myself and cars. This PHEV showed me what genuinely great handling can be, and I’ll remember that when I drive my next test car, whether it’s a high-end coupe or an entry-level sedan.
The Artura showed me something about value, too. I realized again that I value cars more for the experiences they can deliver than for their monetary value. Some would say driving merely reduces a supercar’s value. I would argue that owning a supercar and not driving it makes it a fetish object and reduces its moral value. So, buy the best driving car you can afford, and enjoy it.
This story originally ran on Autotrader.com.
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