No Artura love?!

No Artura love?!

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Discussion

RSbandit

Original Poster:

2,790 posts

140 months

Tuesday 6th February
quotequote all
Very little on here regarding the Artura, has anyone bought one? I had one recently when my 600 was in for a service and all I can say is that I was very impressed with it... plus points:
- Crazy fast and more effortless in that regard than my LT , drives like a McLaren so that's always going to be a big positive.
- Cockpit ergonomics and tech a big leap forward (Carplay is v nice to have).
- 15 mile electric range v handy when you want to sneak away from the garage without waking the neighbours.
- Sport mode felt stiffer than my old 570S and overall its certainly moved the game on vs that car.
- Think its a very elegant and well resolved design, very clearly a McLaren but a nice evolution...much nicer than the 296 which is not a pretty car at all imo.

Negatives:
- Car sounds alright but needs to be in Track mode, of course its lacking the aural drama of the 600LT (I have a Spider so not a fair comparison admittedly).
- Cost new and depreciation an old McLaren bugbear... there are some cars that have been advertised for months on AT that have dropped £50-60k in that time. I think another year and prices in the £130k region and they'll be a good buy.

No real idea how reliable the cars delivered thus far have been but the new more complicated tech would be a potential concern. The LT version if it ever sees the light of day is gonna be something very special given the excellent base car.

Having said all that I wouldn't be tempted out of my 600 just yet as that's such a visceral experience. I certainly would consider one at some point in the future if I want something a little easier to live with. Well done McLaren, its a vastly underrated and underappreciated car imo.


TBCTBC

1,539 posts

97 months

Tuesday 6th February
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5 year warranty and 10 year corrosion warranty, too.

Abacus21

156 posts

43 months

Wednesday 7th February
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The Artura is very colour sensitive in my opinion. In the right colour it looks great in the flesh. Better then pictures.

dave_Sw1

250 posts

226 months

Wednesday 7th February
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its a good car, I had one for a week but in my opinion its over priced, 210k when you spec it, that would get you a nearly new 720 spider, and i know which i'd prefer. I get that they had to sink a lot of money in to develop it, but if they are selling a handful at that price, imagine if it were a 150k car, that would change the game vs anything else you could buy at that price. its a shame as it will go down as a bit of a white elephant, people reluctant to buy them because you don't see any of them and you really are paying top whack for it.

Top pup

312 posts

214 months

Wednesday 7th February
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I just think people don't particularly want hybrid sports/super cars. The NSX was a flop, and the 296 and SF90 seem to be falling out the sky. The BMW I8 didn't seem to catch on either.

mogg

283 posts

266 months

Wednesday 7th February
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I've only sat in one and had a good look around it so far but was very impressed !

Looking forward to the LT thumbup

Gibbo205

3,572 posts

215 months

Wednesday 7th February
quotequote all
Hi there

I had one for a few days and I absolutely loved it, the car drives absolutely mega, also feels small on the road too.

It was truly awesome at blasting around on British B roads, handled bad roads really well, I enjoyed it most with powertrain in track and suspension in sport or track depending on road surface and the VDC set to 12-15 (variable drift control), absolutely epic car, it also felt small on the road inspiring confidence which is a great thing. Beautiful steering, much better than the 296's I've driven and I have driven both the handling version and softer version, preferred latter on road.

For me as a car to live with and as a whole I'd take Artura over the 296, so why did I not buy one?

Well I own a 600 LT which is also amazing though a touch more rawer which I do love, but for where the Artura excels as a car to drive on the road I was not impressed by the sound track but I could probably overlook this but I just felt it looked a little to bland for me, I like my supercars blow me away looks wise which my 600 does, but the Artura just did not do it for me.

Also just like the 296, the Artura is also crashing in used prices, both cars are a very quick ticket to shedding 100k if you buy new and only intend on keeping for 1-2 years, as such I may revisit the idea in a couple of years.

The other amazing thing about Artura which I enjoyed was after the adrenalin was pumping from a mega b-road drive and you then drop into a 30mph town, switching to full electric mode was not only easy but I also found it really relaxing, it also means getting 40+ mpg is easy out of it.

Great car to drive, just not got the looks for me, but for the kind of 911 turbo customer I'd take Artura everytime. smile

12pack

1,598 posts

176 months

Wednesday 7th February
quotequote all
RSbandit said:
Very little on here regarding the Artura, has anyone bought one? I had one recently when my 600 was in for a service and all I can say is that I was very impressed with it... plus points:
- Crazy fast and more effortless in that regard than my LT , drives like a McLaren so that's always going to be a big positive.
- Cockpit ergonomics and tech a big leap forward (Carplay is v nice to have).
- 15 mile electric range v handy when you want to sneak away from the garage without waking the neighbours.
- Sport mode felt stiffer than my old 570S and overall its certainly moved the game on vs that car.
- Think its a very elegant and well resolved design, very clearly a McLaren but a nice evolution...much nicer than the 296 which is not a pretty car at all imo.

Negatives:
- Car sounds alright but needs to be in Track mode, of course its lacking the aural drama of the 600LT (I have a Spider so not a fair comparison admittedly).
- Cost new and depreciation an old McLaren bugbear... there are some cars that have been advertised for months on AT that have dropped £50-60k in that time. I think another year and prices in the £130k region and they'll be a good buy.

No real idea how reliable the cars delivered thus far have been but the new more complicated tech would be a potential concern. The LT version if it ever sees the light of day is gonna be something very special given the excellent base car.

Having said all that I wouldn't be tempted out of my 600 just yet as that's such a visceral experience. I certainly would consider one at some point in the future if I want something a little easier to live with. Well done McLaren, its a vastly underrated and underappreciated car imo.
Nice review - thanks for posting.

For me personally - I find hybrids to be a kluge. Great for my business (semiconductor chips) with their 2x complex powertrains, but I prefer the combination of the engineering elegance and efficiency of a purely battery EV for commuting (Tesla MS Plaid) and the light weight mechanical excellence of an ICE car for driving pleasure(Atom/650s). Though I suppose you if you had to have just one car....

Streetbeat

1,096 posts

84 months

Wednesday 7th February
quotequote all
I just feel the whole hybrid supercar thing is just a con to appease the beaurocats in the Eu around emissions, the electric range is a waste of time and all the manufacturers are doing is using the motors as torque fill.

Whilst the Artura may be a great car, i would prefer a full fat 720s at the money, the hybrid bit is irrelevant.

IMI A

9,696 posts

209 months

Wednesday 7th February
quotequote all
I think you have nailed the issue with the Artura. A lightly used 720 s at £100k plus below list far more desirable. Nice car though.

RSbandit

Original Poster:

2,790 posts

140 months

Wednesday 7th February
quotequote all
I know there are deals out there with £30k deposit contribution and finance at 3.6% on new ones. Still a tough sell when the lightly used ones are £160k on AT .

Nightmare

5,230 posts

292 months

Thursday 15th February
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Also had one for a weekend and whilst I am a HUGE McLaren fan, this one didn’t quite do it for me

Somehow it’s slightly lost the Elise-like sense of connectivity to the road, but has retained the v impressive handling of shoddy surfaces….which just made it feel a little lifeless to me. Admittedly this is comparing to other McLarens - still a miles miles better drive than anything from Ferrari IMO - but a 570 or 720 is just more exciting.

Edited by Nightmare on Thursday 15th February 18:31

samoht

6,309 posts

154 months

Thursday 15th February
quotequote all
Gibbo205 said:
...I just felt it looked a little to bland for me, I like my supercars blow me away looks wise which my 600 does, but the Artura just did not do it for me...
I agree, I've not driven an Artura but have seen it in the flesh. I think if you parked a 570S next to an Artura in similar colour/spec, most (non-enthusiast) people would perceive the older car as the more high-end; the Artura just looks a bit 'modest' perhaps by comparison, a less confident design.

gavinp

60 posts

228 months

Monday 19th February
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It’s been a while since I posted on PH, maybe 15 years! I think the feedback may be a little tougher these days, but here we go……

Why now? I am feeling compelled to write about the Artura, which I have now owned since the Summer.

For context, some of my relevant previous and current cars:

570s
720s
(recently borrowed a 750s for the weekend, which is completely unhinged!)
Alpine A110
4 Lotuses including a 2-11 and Exige 410 (current)
GR Yaris (current)

Before I pulled the trigger I was invited to the factory for a very early drive, the dealer lent me an Artura twice for the weekend and I was also kindly invited to drive at Dunsfold by McLaren. So, 4 attempts!

Factory drive, just felt like a McLaren. 1st weekend drive, told the dealer I just didn’t get it. Second weekend drive, a little better, loved the hybrid part. Track at Dunsfold, bought it the next day.

I didn’t do that because I wanted it for the track, although I seem to have one of the few cars with harnesses and it went on the track 1 mile after being run in :-)

It was because the drive at Dunsfold was exceptionally instructive. The only time the Artura is benign is when you want it to be, and definitely when you are behaving on a test drive. When you want to, the brilliant power unit and LSD make all the difference when you want to hook it up and fly down the road.

The best way to describe it is like a much more powerful A110. Incredible chassis with absolute control. It’s like a growling go kart.

It is not a Lotus, and this is a good thing. Recent Lotuses are actually pretty slow down a country lane in my opinion, bobbing and bouncing, demonstrating the problem with over 60% of the weight at the rear and a high COG. I do not find it that fun. Nothing like my S1 Elise used to be.

The Yaris. I love it, but people seem to be blinded by it. It is very fast, but it is not controlled. It’s a rally car, it is not meant to be compliant and safe!

The 750s is basically trying to kill you the whole time. Unless you are sub 30mph with what sounds like a tractor engine attached to a turbo from 1982. Simply too fast for the road. Last generation. Binary power delivery. Track only.

The Artura then has the compliancy only a McLaren can achieve because they spent the money on a carbon tub.
The best steering in the business.
The precision of an EV when squeezing through gaps or sat in a jam.
The right amount of power and speed.
The right size.
Interior ergonomics that are incredibly thoughtful.
A classy design for grown ups.
An operating breadth others can only dream of.
It is not a Ferrari or a Porsche. No posing. No arrogance. Not for Insta. You can buy one without kissing the dealer’s you know what.

And….

Of course crappy depreciation, because perception is reality in most people’s minds.

Do I care about the latter? Not for a second. Cars are to drive, nothing drives better than a McLaren, and the Artura is the best McLaren. It’s a baby P1.

You can feel the thought the team put into every part of the car. You appreciate the effort. And unfortunately the lack of margin as a result :-(

The journalists seem to love it, but even then they get lazy and claim ‘it may go wrong’. Has mine? Yep, the fuel pipe recall. McLaren’s fault? Nope - a supplier who just happened to send a dodgy batch to McLaren, just bad luck. Having a 5 year warranty and 3 years servicing is exactly the kind of thing they needed to do with this car and I am glad they did.

The dealer tells me that slowly the number of cars being sold is rising month on month. The trick with this car is to spend time with it if you can. It’s a grower and I am convinced that people will look back and say damn, I missed a few years there where I could have been driving something absolutely sublime.

I will be keeping mine for a long time, and if I can, take the LT as well!

Purso

923 posts

110 months

Tuesday 20th February
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Interesting read, I had forgot about the 5 year warranty, that really does make a difference.

alltalk

138 posts

88 months

Tuesday 20th February
quotequote all
Watch Harry's Garage video - he loves it.

Streetbeat

1,096 posts

84 months

Tuesday 20th February
quotequote all
Great write up.

Did you notice that much difference between the 720s and 750s?

gavinp

60 posts

228 months

Tuesday 20th February
quotequote all
Streetbeat said:
Great write up.

Did you notice that much difference between the 720s and 750s?
Speed - much faster, but I think it's the gearing. It basically has the 765 (roughly) ratios with a 720 final ratio (or something like that). The Artura is 8 speed, and you really notice that. Much better spacing.

Vision - I always thought the 720 had amazing visibility, which it does, but Artura is better. 750 - the massive rear wing gets in the way a lot because in aero mode it is a 1/3 raised, then when you brake it obscures the whole view. Then you can't see the Feds, so what is the point?

Aero - now this is weird but I found the same with the 720. The aero brake on the 750 makes it noticeably more squirrely under braking. Same as 720 but more pronounced. I have no idea how or why but surely this is the exact opposite of what you want?!

Aero 2 - same as the 720, but worse. With Aero on the drag is very noticeable. So much so that the feeling when you turn it off and the car then slithers through the air is a great feeling.

Aero 3 - leave it off!

Suspension - 750 is harder than the 720, by design. As I said, track only.

Ergonomics - the panel gaps e.g. between tweeter and door card on passenger side were 3mm ish. On the drivers side I could stick my little finger in the gap! So both poor and didn't even match! Summary, just as bad as a 720, very very last generation, feels stuck in with sticky tape. No such issues in Artura which MASSIVELY shows up the older cars.

Seats - just as poor on lumber as the 720, for me as always. Artura no such issues.

Binnacle - 750 has the Artura / Elva one - huge tick.

Looks - the 750 was immediately rejected when it got home ("yuck") and by anyone who saw it. It needs a black lower section to reduce the massive look of the front bumper. Like the Artura - is my bias clear yet :-)

Sound - unhinged, at revs sounds like a 720 in track mode. Off revs = a tractor, bag of bolts, rough, pants.

I think the youtubers love these because it's the fastest and in a short burst you can't help but cackle. However, live with it for a while and it's a one trick pony. Ballistic in a straight line for 5 seconds, then do your neck in under braking, then wish you had an Artura for some fun at any speed and especially in the curves at legal speeds.

All IMHO.

LotusJas

1,345 posts

239 months

Wednesday 21st February
quotequote all
gavinp said:
4 Lotuses including a 2-11 and Exige 410 (current)
GR Yaris (current)
I borrowed an Artura for 4 days and was impressed. It's a better drive than the 296GTB, although it's a slower car. Nothing went wrong with it.

What I wanted to ask however, was if you could only have one, would you pick your GR Yaris or the old Elise S1?

gavinp

60 posts

228 months

Wednesday 21st February
quotequote all
LotusJas said:
I borrowed an Artura for 4 days and was impressed. It's a better drive than the 296GTB, although it's a slower car. Nothing went wrong with it.

What I wanted to ask however, was if you could only have one, would you pick your GR Yaris or the old Elise S1?
Good question.

GR Yaris. More useable more of the time. Great fun. All the speed you would ever need (I have Litchfield boost box so 300 BHP). Robust. Carplay. No idea why everyone loses their minds over the seat height. Great winter car (I put Michelin Alpin 5 on in winter). I have white Braid wheels on the white car. Sounds like a scooby with the Miltek exhaust I have. Great dodgy weather or Bedford mucking about track car. 5 Year warranty. Dealers are totally useless, don't understand the GR customer base for a second.

Edited by gavinp on Wednesday 21st February 21:46