McLAREN ARTURA

JUNIOR MAC IS TASTY, BUT DOES IT SATISFY?

- ANGUS MACKENZIE

Model McLaren Artura

Engine 2993cc V6 (1200), dohc, 24v, twin-turbo

Max power 500kW @ 7500rpm

Max torque 720Nm @ 2250-7000rpm

Transmission 8-speed dual-clutch

Weight 1498kg

0-100km/h 3.0sec (claimed)

Economy 4.6L/100km

Price $449,500

On sale 2023

A TOUGH ONE, this. McLaren Automotive has laboured long and hard to deliver only its second all-new car in the company’s 12-year history. And there’s a lot to like about the McLaren Artura.

It’s light and quick, with a punchy PHEV powertrain and a chassis that’s stickier and more stable under pressure than that of a 720S or a 570S. It looks and feels better built than any of its predecessors, too, with tighter panel gaps and fewer rattles and squeaks.

But the Artura I’ve just driven is still a work in progress. A car that’s not yet finished. Let me explain.

I can’t remember the last time I had trouble with a car on a media drive program. So, I was more than a little surprised and dismayed when both the instrument panel and the central touch screen on the Artura I had been driving on the great roads through southern Spain suddenly faded to black for no apparent reason.

The instrument panel flickered back into life, but the central touchscreen remained out of commission – along with the air conditioning, navigation, audio and phone connection – for the remainder of the trip. Given it was a bright, sunny day with the mercury hovering in the low 30s, the remainder of the drive wasn’t pleasant.