Spider Sense - The McLaren Artura Spider Hybrid

Quite incredibly, the first 'supercar' that I ever drove as a motoring journalist was the phenomenal McLaren F1 back in 1994 when we had just launched our sister title Epicurean Life. The F1, with its central driver position and 3 person cockpit, redefined supercars and set benchmarks for both speed and handling that are still envied in the world of supercars today.  The drive and experience was a real bucket list moment and one which I have cherished and boasted about for many years since.

Fast forward to 2025 and I was very fortunately invited to visit the fabulous McLaren Technology Centre for a tour. The MTC in Woking, Surrey is the global HQ of McLaren Automotive and where all the cars are manufactured. The award-winning Sir Norman Foster designed building is as slick as the cars that are manufactured within it. The lobby is an automotive catwalk of the best of McLaren cars created for both the road and track. A long showcase at the end of the atrium displays the innumerable trophies the brand has claimed for both racing and design – it's a very long showcase indeed!

Post my private tour I was offered the enviable opportunity to take home the new Artura Spider Hybrid for a few days and run it through its paces. The car was purple – and the colour was apparently inspired by the wrapper of a Cadbury's milk chocolate bar. Hmm or Yumm?

Anyway, back to the test drive and I wondered how would my very conservative neighbours in leafy Fulham react to my new whip with its flashy purple colour and vertical lift butterfly doors? A redeeming factor was that the Artura is hybrid and thus can be started in silent electric mode so I don't wake up the whole street when I bring to life its almost 700 horsepower engine! Redemption perhaps.

The car's name is derived from a portmanteau of the words art and future and this car encapsulates both beautifully. The art is evident from the minute you set your eyes on this beautifully-crafted automobile and the future lies both in its aerodynamic shape, its incredible engineering and the electric motor experience.

The Artura Spider was created to enrich the driving experience and engage the driver with improvements to both the powertrain and chassis and it does both at the highest levels. Each technological enhancement has been crafted to ensure it maximises the ultimate experience for the driver. 

Underneath its beautifully sculpted lines, the Artura features a 2.9 litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and an ultra-efficient e-motor coupled to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Artura is capable of a stunning 205mph and a 0-60mph in a eye-watering 2.9 seconds. This is in part achieved by its incredibly light body structure using the McLaren Carbon Fibre Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) with Aluminium hot-formed body panels giving a class-leading weight of only 1,457kg.

The convertible aspect of the new McLaren Artura just makes the car even more fun than its sibling hardtop. The roof opens and closes in a mere eleven seconds and can even be done while driving at speeds of up to 30mph.

The Artura is amongst the best cars I've ever driven in terms of handling, driver engagement and sheer fun – I have owned three Aston Martins which I obviously loved but my next supercar will definitely be a McLaren! I urge you to test drive one to see for yourselves – the Artura Spider will leave all your senses tingling! Incredibly, and I say this as it came as a shock to me, the car is as much fun to drive in the city as it is at high speeds on the open road. 

The Artura's incredible engineering and inherent handling makes you believe that you are a better driver than you probably are – and sadly – the endless admiring looks you get  from the opposite sex might make you believe that you are more attractive than you actually are! 

No matter, quite honestly it just might be the most fun you can have with your top down!

www.mclaren.com

Back