Test-driving the 2025 McLaren Artura Spider

There are two phases to test driving a supercar. The first is the anticipation of its arrival – knowing you’re going to make a giant leap from ordinary, functional vehicles to “the Mighty Mac” as the Artura became known before and during its 3-day weekend test, and feeling that delicious excitement as the great day approaches.

The Artura arrives, it is of course gorgeous, it is pristine – and it is purple. I’ve had yellow, red, orange and blue, never purple, lantana purple to be exact. (Not shown.)

For the first day, you are extra paranoid, as well you should be. It almost makes you ill, how concerned and focused you have to be. When you’ve over the novelty, the excitement and the looks you get, then the second phase arrives and you can just drive – and there, my friends, is the sweet spot. The looks of the Artura are classic, ultra-fine and stylish, naturally, but it is in the drive where the spirit comes into play. Let’s take a look.

The basic facts

*The McLaren Artura features a mid-engine layout built on a lightweight carbon fiber chassis, distinguishing it from traditional grand tourers.

*Its engine is a 3.0L twin-turbocharged V6 with a plug-in hybrid system.

*Horsepower is 690 hp, torque is 531 lb-ft, and it’s mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic.

*0-60 is accomplished in about 3 seconds and top speed is 205 MPG.

*Pricing starts at $273,800. With all options, it’s $310, 308.

The nice man who brought me the car asked that I not go 205 MPH, and I didn’t. Fuel economy is a not-bad 19 MPG combined, 45 MPH when considering the electric range. You can go up to 21 miles on electric-only. It offers multiple drive modes: Electric, Comfort, Sport, and Track.

Interior

It’s minimal, and luxurious. There’s a digital gauge cluster mounted on the steering column and slim carbon-fiber-backed sport seats wrapped in leather. (Alcantra.) The flat-bottom steering wheel fits well in the hands and an 8-inch touchscreen runs an underwhelming infotainment system that lags behind the car’s high-tech pedigree.

One of my passengers was tall and extra-large and took some assistance getting in and out, but the deed was accomplished and off we went, so you don’t have to necessarily be a svelte human to enjoy the Artura.

The Artura is available as both a coupe and my tester, the Spider or convertible. The top comes up or down in 11 seconds up to 31 MPH via 8 electric motors, but I didn’t chance it – I pulled over to raise or lower the roof.

The Drive

There is a button to push to raise or lower the suspension for when you meet speed bumps or other hazards to the underside of your front bumper. One must remember to use it not only when you are going over something, but often when you’re simply pointed downhill. It was something of a bother to have to remember, but hearing silence – as opposed to a stomach-dropping scrape – when one drove over an obstacle was worth it.

When you start ‘er up, it’s automatically in electric mode – so no setting off car alarms or scattering birds. You must smash the brake pedal – as in “all your might” to start the vehicle. At red lights, you also need to apply considerable pressure to the brake lest the car lurch forward. That got old quickly.

Once you’re out in the open, free of traffic and photo-takers, it’s a sublime pleasure of scent, sight and feel. Eventually your foot, hands and body are all in tune with the car. Put it into “Track” and there it is, all the ferocity, all the noise you love, the grumble. It is not the GT – it is not Godzilla. But by the end of the test, that didn’t matter. The pleasure is in the drive. It’s also best done at night for the full experience, and it’s as much a thrill to drive slowly as it is to smash the pedal. You and your passengers, top down, agree that it’s a most pleasant experience – and isn’t that what everyone wants, after all?

Since I didn’t take the vehicle on a track, my experience was almost entirely as the “daily driver,” and cruises to nowhere, with no launch control. But when you barge around town on your errands, you don’t wish you had taken the Accord. You also don’t feel like you want to do 200 MPH – it’s not one of those vehicles that dares you to speed – but it’s nice to know you could do it if you needed to.

Safety

The McLaren Artura is equipped with all the top safety features including Lane Departure Warning, Road Sign Recognition, Available Blindspot Monitoring and Cross-Traffic Detection and more.

What’s New for 2025?

*The 3.0-liter V6 gets a 19-horsepower bump to 690 hp – an upgrade available for existing coupes – while the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission now shifts 25 percent quicker and the active suspension responds to driver input or changing road surfaces 90 percent faster thanks to improved electrical architecture.

*The 7.4 kWh battery pack’s all-electric range has improved from 11 to 21 miles and the new drivetrain mounts reduce engine movement during aggressive maneuvers to boost the Artura’s stability and confidence. A new “spinning wheel pull-away” setting in the launch control system adds maximum drama to acceleration if and when you need it, cowboy.

Conclusion: The Artura is a thoroughly darling little monster, and worth its purple price.

This article was originally published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.

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