Last month, McLaren dropped a few images teasing an upcoming hybrid model that will be launched in the first half of 2021. The Woking-based carmaker has now released two more images of its new creation, along with a name: Artura.
The Artura follows in the footsteps of other models like the Senna, Speedtail and Elva in having a proper name rather than an alphanumeric one, which currently applies to every model in the company’s Sports Series and Super Series line-ups.
The name is prominently shown in two new photos of the car’s rear end, where it is placed between the high-mounted exhausts, along with the McLaren badge. The rest of the car is still hidden away, although earlier teasers featuring a camouflaged prototype suggest it is very much near production-ready.
As revealed previously, the Artura will be the company’s first series-production High-Performance Hybrid (HPH) supercar built on the new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). When launched, it will occupy the space between the GT and 720S in the model range, with the Sports Series designation set to come to an end.
The Artura won’t be the company’s first hybrid model, as that honour belongs to the P1, which was later followed by the Speedtail. However, while those are limited-production models, the Artura won’t be restricted in terms of production units.
According to McLaren, its new hybrid car will draw upon the knowledge gained from its previous electrified models. The HPH powertrain used in the Artura will feature a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine with an electric motor, and this setup “retains the performance benefits of McLaren’s larger-capacity V8 engines,” the company says.
Other plus points include improved torque response at low engine speeds to deliver “scintillating acceleration,” and the new hybrid model can also run on electric power alone for emission-free urban journeys.
The platform also gets plenty of weight-saving technologies developed by the McLaren Composites Technology Centre to help offset the added heft that comes with a hybrid system, which ensures it remains as dynamic in the handling department as its other siblings.
“Every element of the Artura is all-new – from the platform architecture and every part of the High-Performance Hybrid powertrain, to the exterior body, interior and cutting-edge driver interface – but it draws on decades of McLaren experience in pioneering super-lightweight race and road car technologies to bring all of our expertise in electrification to the supercar class,” said Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive.
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