Hybrid McLaren Artura lands Down Under from $449,500

AS promised back in February, the new McLaren Artura has officially arrived in Australia with the new-generation supercar flaunting a price tag of $449,500 plus on road costs, comfortably undercutting the Ferrari F8 Tributo and equivalent Lamborghini Huracan Evo.

Despite orders being open and the first example currently touring the country, prospective buyers will have to wait until the final quarter of the year to get their hands on the mid-engine speed machine which is being used by McLaren to usher in its new-generation High-Performance Hybrid portfolio.

As previously reported by GoAuto, the Artura is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre hybrid powertrain, the Artura develops an even 500kW/720Nm, all of which is channelled to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Zero-100km/h is dealt with in three seconds flat, the double-tonne is up in 8.3s while the top speed is pegged at 330km/h. 

While the Artura loses out to the F8 in terms of sheer firepower, the Woking car holds a $35,388 price advantage over the Maranello missile while the aging Huracan Evo can’t match either of them on both price or power, being almost 10-grand more expensive than and 30kW/130Nm down on the McLaren.

In an added bonus for the Artura, the hybrid system’s 7.4kWh lithium-ion battery offers up to 30km of pure electric range which will be sure to have a positive impact on its overall fuel consumption, even if McLaren hasn’t released an official figure yet. 

For reference, the top speed when running on pure electric power is 130km/h.

More than just being eco-friendly, McLaren says the new hybrid system has improved throttle response from the internal combustion engine thanks to the instant torque available from the electric motor.

Four distinct driving modes are offered on the Artura, each one largely doing what it says on the tin and having a distinct effect on how the car behaves.

Designed for everyday use, Comfort mode maximises range and efficiency with the combustion engine shut off under 40km/h with the use of an extended stop-start mode before being back in when more speed and/or power is needed.

Sport and Track modes meanwhile harness the electrical assistance in the name of low-end performance with the latter inevitably upping the performance ante to its maximum.

EV mode meanwhile is obviously electric power only. 

Adaptive dampers are included as standard with the ride and handling characteristics able to be altered by independent chassis modes which also alter the sensitivity of the electronic stability control.

According to McLaren Automotive Asia Pacific and China managing director George Biggs, pushing the boundaries of vehicle technology and performance has “always sat at the heart” of McLaren. 

“Artura is the essence of this goal, delivering world class performance, driving engagement and dynamic excellence with the added enhancement of EV driving capability,” he said.

“The introduction of the Artura into the Australian market is a significant step for our customers who will appreciate this car.”

McLaren is having a decent year so far Down Under with sales up 40 per cent to the of May with 35 deliveries compared to the 25 units shifted over the same period last year.