PUMP AND PLUG ACTION

McLaren’s revolutionary new drivetrain is a sign of things to come

- Pawan Dhingara

It’s probably just a big, fat coincidence that McLaren launched its new hybrid supercar smack bang in the middle of one of the world’s steepest petrol price increases. Hybrid supercars are simply not designed to spare their owners from rising fuel bills, after all. Instead, they’re about smoothing over emission regulations, finding that extra little lick of performance, and developing systems that can be transferred to the race track. Start saying your prayers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo… McLaren is a company renowned for steady evolution of its models, but the new Artura truly breaks the mold, even if at first glance it looks a touch underwhelming, comparable in so many ways to everything that has defined McLaren’s Sports Series over the years. It’s positioned as the entry-level hybrid McLaren and something of a riposte to the Ferrari 296 GTB.