It’s fair to say the McLaren Artura has endured somewhat of a rocky ride. Even so, after just two years in production, it is surprising to see McLaren launch a heavily revised model, spearheaded by this new Spider variant. Such are the changes, McLaren themselves refer to the model year ‘25 Artura as a full-on facelift rather than an annual update.

To some, this might signal a lack of confidence from McLaren in their hybrid junior supercar. However the reasoning is likely down to the Artura’s prolonged gestation period, with initial deliveries taking place over a year later than originally planned. By any other production schedule, we’d be three years in with the engineers beavering away in the background, hence the update.

McLaren claims “significant upgrades over the original Artura, including more power, more performance and even greater driver engagement.” All of the changes introduced on the Spider will also migrate to the Coupe, but on the surface, you’d be hard pressed to spot any cosmetic cues - it appears McLaren has invested all of its budget beneath the striking bodywork.

Power always steals the headlines, so we’ll start there. The output of the 3.0-litre V6 and E-motor powertrain now produce a combined 700 PS, or 690 bhp in old money. McLaren also claims the Artura Spider is “the lightest convertible supercar in its class, bettering rivals by as much as 83kg.”

That’s with McLaren insisting on quoting the cars lightest spec dry weight of 1,457 kg, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 473 bhp per tonne. With all fluids on board, the result is explosive performance with the Spider capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in 3.0 seconds, 0-124 mph in 8.4 seconds, 0-186 mph in 21.6 seconds. We imagine that it won’t take much longer for the Artura to reach its top speed of 205 mph.

McLaren informs us the additional power is focused from 4,000rpm to the redline at 8,500rpm, providing a marked crescendo approaching the top of the rev range. Indeed, a concerted effort seems to have been made around creating a more emotional driving experience, with a revised valved exhaust system incorporating a tuned resonator and upward conical shape to the tailpipes. The Artura’s engineers have paid particular attention to the engine note in the middle and higher points of the rev range, with the goal of providing a ‘cleaner’ soundtrack. An optional sports exhaust system is available.

Cutting response times also appears to be another key theme of the MY2025 Artura Spider and Coupe. The eight-speed transmission has a new pre-fill feature that delivers 25 % faster shift times, and the calibration has also been revised. The advanced pre-fill technology pressurises the hydraulic fluid in the gearbox to the threshold required to enact a shift, so that when the driver selects a gear or an automatic shift is requested, shift time is minimised.

Further improvements in response times have been made in the adaptive damping system. Enhanced DCU (Domain Control Units) in the cars’ ethernet architecture allow the dampers to react to driver inputs or a change in road surface up to 90% faster than before.

Meanwhile, the dampers themselves have also been fine tuned with new valving offering greater precision. New powertrain mounts for the MY2025 Artura are also said to further aid the dynamics of the car.

The Artura features the track-focused Pirelli P Zero Corsa or all-season P Zero tyres, wrapped around a new 15-spoke alloy wheel design. Lightweight Calibre 10-Spoke alloys can be specified as an optional extra, alongside titanium wheel bolts, which save a further 400 grams of unsprung mass per corner. As standard, the MY25 Artura utilises carbon ceramic discs, enhanced lightweight aluminium callipers and new brake cooling ducts. With revised ABS calibration, braking distances for the Spider and new coupe are 31m to standstill from 62 mph and an improved 124m from 124 mph. Thermal efficiency is also said to be much improved.

Almost as fast as the Artura’s acceleration is the operation of the Spider’s retractable hard top roof, which opens or closes in a mere 11 seconds at speeds of up to 31 mph. That hard top does come with a small weight penalty over the Coupe, however the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture underpinning the Artura means zero loss of rigidity when the fixed roof is removed – the majority of the 62 kg difference between Spider and coupe is accounted for by the electrically-operated roof mechanism. The retractable hard top is fashioned from carbon fibre and composite however an Electrochromic glass panel is available as an option, which can either brighten the cabin - or block more than 99% of sunlight - at the touch of a button.

The changes required to convert the Coupe into the Spider and accommodate the retractable roof are significant, with modifications to the location of the cooling systems for the powertrain and heavily revised aerodynamics. In true McLaren fashion, many of the changes serve a dual purpose. The Artura Spider’s buttresses for example, are visibly more sculpted than the coupe’s since they also channel cold air into discrete ducts in the tonneau cover. The buttresses also incorporate the rollover structure and include a glazed section to aid rear visibility that also doubles as a channel for airflow into the engine bay. 

To create the storage space for the roof, the Spider repositions the powertrain cooling vents, including the signature ‘hot vee’ chimney, further to the rear of the car compared to the coupe. The complex cooling and aero management has been dovetailed into the roof shape, which has been designed to channel air towards the repositioned chimney to accelerate the flow of hot air from the powertrain. To minimise buffeting in the cabin, the windscreen surround has been revised and now incorporates small gurneys to direct air away from the Spider’s occupants.

The technical details of the Artura remain fascinating. The 3.0-litre twin turbocharged M630 V6 engine is all-aluminium with a dry-sump, and with the aforementioned power bump, now develops 198 bhp per litre and 596 of the 690 bhp total.

An axial flux E-motor, located within the transmission bell housing, generates the remaining 93 bhp and 225 Nm (166 lb ft) and boasts a power density per kilogramme 33% greater than the system used in the P1 ‘holy trinity’ hypercar. Combined peak torque remains at 720 Nm (531 lb-ft), its delivery optimised by refinements to electronic mapping.

The E-motor is powered by a battery pack comprising five lithium-ion modules, offering 7.4kWh and an improved claimed EV range of up to 21 miles. The entire assembly is bolted onto the rear base of the monocoque, optimising stiffness, weight distribution and crash protection. Including the 88 kg battery pack and 15.4 kg E-motor, the Artura’s hybrid componentry adds just 130 kg to overall weight.

The switch to a V6 for the Artura was also grounded in McLaren’s legendary light weighting and packaging philosophy. The M630 engine weighs just 160 kg - 50 kg less than McLaren’s V8 and is significantly shorter. The compact dimensions are made possible by a 120-degree V angle design that also aids a low centre of gravity. The engine design reduces pressure losses through the exhaust system as well as allowing for a stiffer crankshaft and in turn a rev limit of 8,500rpm. The free-revving nature of the V6 engine is supported by the twin-turbochargers being located within the ‘hot vee’, positioning that enables them to spin more rapidly, improving throttle response.

The Artura has four powertrain drive modes: Comfort, Sport and Track, plus the electric only, emissions-free E-mode. Alongside this are three dynamic modes. ‘Comfort’ is the default mode, with Sport and Track offering progressively firmer settings. As always, the desired mode is selected using one of the two rocker controls on the top of the instrument binnacle and the dynamic stability programme is also fully customisable.

Whilst on the subject of electronics, the 2025 Artura also proves that even low-volume supercar manufacturers are not immune to the creep of safety legislation, with the revised car offering a host of driver aids including Blind Spot Monitoring and Cross-Traffic Detection, Road Sign Recognition and Lane Departure Warning. 

The good news for owners of the original Artura is McLaren will update the engine software free of charge, adding 20 bhp and bringing the performance into alignment with the updated model. Both the MY2025 Artura Spider and Coupe are available to order now, and deliveries are set to commence from mid-2024. A five-year, unlimited mileage vehicle warranty, a six-year, 45,000 mile battery warranty and a ten-year anti-perforation body warranty are all included in the list price. Also included is a three-year service plan, as is a five-year roadside assistance package. The new Artura is available to specify now on McLaren’s configurator, priced from £221,500.

2025 McLaren Artura Spider; Specification

Powertrain:

M630 V6 engine, 2,993cc twin-turbocharged, hybrid drivetrain with axial flux electric motor

Layout:

Longitudinal mid-engined, RWD

Power output:

700 (690/515)*: 605PS (596/445) @7,500rpm from petrol engine 95PS (94/70) from electric motor

Torque output:

720 (531): 585 (431) @2,250-7,000 rpm from petrol engine 225 (166) from electric motor

Transmission:

8-Speed SSG (reverse using E-motor) with Electronic Differential (E-Diff). Electric, Comfort, Sport and Track modes

Steering:

Electro-hydraulic; power-assisted

Chassis:

MCLA carbon fibre monocoque with aluminium front and rear frames and chassis structures

Suspension:

Independent adaptive dampers

Front: dual aluminium wishbones

Rear: upper wishbone and lower multi-link setup. Proactive Damping Control (PDC). Comfort, Sport and Track modes

Brakes:

Carbon Ceramic Discs (390mm front; 380mm rear)

Forged aluminium brake calipers (6-piston front monobloc; 4-piston rear)

Tyres:

Pirelli P-ZERO™ or Pirelli P-ZERO™ Corsa.

Front: 235/35/ZR19 91Y Rear: 295/35/ZR20 105Y

Battery charge time:

2.5 hours (via EVSE cable) to 80%