Just in time for Summer the McLaren Artura Spider is here to drop its top
Convertibles get a lot of hate from purists for ruining the rigidity but this McLaren aims to please on all fronts
The automotive universe is a strange one at the moment. We’re in this limbo of gasoline being transitioned to electric with all sorts of hybrid variants being produced before the world rids itself (mostly) of dinosaur fuel. McLaren is not immune to the electric regulation revolution, but they’re not going out without a fight. The Artura is one of those places where the best-fueled things meet the hybrid world. They’re giving us the sound and revs we want but with the electricity and regulation added back in. For this new Artura they just happened to cut the roof off to add better views with the silence of electric motoring.
There aren’t many all-electric sports cars for obvious reasons–we love to hear a high-revving engine going flat out; that’s what sports cars are all about. But sometimes it is nice not to hear anything. Taking in the sight of a beautiful drive without any nonsense is a thing. Imagine having a 120-degree V-6 with twin turbos in a hot vee that produces 690 horsepower (when combined with an electric motor) screaming full tilt when you want it to, and shutting up when you don’t want to hear it grumble.
Silence is the name of the game with this Artura. McLaren has paired the car with a 93-horsepower electric motor and a 7.5kw battery for all-electric driving. You’ll have 19 miles to think in silence before the conventional engine is kicked back to life. Nineteen miles might not be a lot, but that’s likely most of your morning commute. Drink your coffee, listen to some tunes, and ponder your place in silent motoring with a car that looks like rolling pornography.
That’s where I think this car could be a hit. It has the sports car noises you want but they can be silenced at any time. Remember this is a V-6, which isn’t always one of the sportiest-sounding engines. Many of them just sound a bit off when compared to the cars they’re paired with. Take the Ford GT for instance or even the R35 GTR. Those cars could sound so much more exotic, but their V-6 power plant sounds pedestrian when compared to anything with more cylinders.
This car allows you to zoom along at breakneck speeds and then make all the noise go away. Within eleven seconds, you can let nature in or out, depending on if you want the top up or down. In a lot of ways, this is motoring perfection. It is the ultimate in experience by allowing as many senses as possible to partake or having almost none.
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