McLaren's New Hybrid Supercar Is Called The 'Artura'

There’s been an element of predictability to most of the cars McLaren Automotive has revealed since being founded in its modern form back in 2010. A twin-turbo V8, a variant of the same carbon, and a name that involves a few numbers and a letter. Or maybe two, if Woking was feeling extravagant. That’s the tried and tested McLaren recipe.

However, all three of those things will go out the window with McLaren’s next series production car. The British company revealed a while back that its ‘High Performance Hybrid’ or ‘HPH’ would use an all-new carbon fibre structure, announcing not long after that the powertrain would involve a twin-turbo V6, rather than a V8. The latest tease of news confirms the name of the car as the ‘Artura’. Yep, the numbers have gone.

Thus far, only a handful of limited-run specials have deviated from McLaren’s numerical, output-based naming convention - the P1, Senna, Speedtail and Elva. It’ll also be the first mass-produced hybrid from Woking, and the third electrified model after the P1 and Speedtail.

Details of McLaren’s hybrid system are limited, but we’re expecting something far lighter than a typical plug-in system, which can often add hundreds of kilos to a car’s weight. The weight increase relative to the car’s predecessor, the 570S, will be a double-digit one, giving a kerb figure comfortably under 1600kg. That’s hugely impressive considering this thing has an 18.6-mile electric-only range, which will involve a reasonably beefy battery pack.

We can expect something more powerful than the 570S, but also more expensive. The V6 will be made by Ricardo - the same British firm McLaren tasks with building its V8. This engine will go into the new McLaren Lightweight Carbon Architecture, a Monocell and Monocage-replacing tub which will be constructed at a £50 million facility in Sheffield.

The Artura’s full reveal is planned for the first half of 2021, although there’ll no doubt be a slew of teasers before then.