The McLaren Artura is the automaker’s first series-produced hybrid supercar, debuting in February 2021. It’s also the brand’s newest art car, sporting a one-off wrap designed by Berlin-based artist Cevin Parker.
Parker, self-taught in contemporary abstract art, created a colorful wrap for the supercar. Beneath the streaks and splashes of pink, yellow and orange along the flanks, which help accentuate the Artura’s large intake fenders, is a muted undertone that flows from a pastel purple on the front to a nice yellow on the rear.
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“Parker’s extraordinary talent and deep understanding of the arts have allowed him to create truly outstanding designs that perfectly capture the spirit of Artura,” said Bastian Luehmann, McLaren Automotive market director for Central Europe.
This is the automaker’s second Artura art car. In March 2022, it introduced a supercar with light-tuned transparent resin pigments created by Nat Bowen, a British abstract artist.
McLaren introduced the Artura in February 2021. As well as packing a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, McLaren has also made it a hybrid, installing an “E-Motor” in the transmission housing. The engine alone produces 477 horsepower and 431 pound-feet of torque, with the electric motor adding 84 hp and 166 lb-ft for a combined output of 671 hp and 593 lb-ft of torque.
The car can sprint up to 62 miles per hour in just 3.0 seconds and has a limited top speed of 205 mph. The 7.4 kilowatt-hour battery pack offers up to 19 miles of pure electric range. The Artura is a plug-in hybrid, charging from empty to 80 percent in two and a half hours. The fast supercar clocks in at 3,303 pounds, which is reasonable for a hybrid.
Artura hasn’t had a smooth launch since launch. Software and supply chain issues related to the coronavirus pandemic are not helping. And late last year, newly appointed CEO Michael Leiters halted deliveries to address quality issues. In December, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalled 164 Arturas due to a potential fuel leak.
Earlier this month, a report emerged saying McLaren had informed its dealers that they would have to delay deliveries of the Artura by about four months on average. The automaker delayed it due to “enhanced testing procedures.”
McLaren will exhibit Artura art cars throughout the year at events such as Art Basel Miami and other similar attractions. Keep an eye out, because art cars are one way the auto industry is having fun. Several automakers have made such vehicles over the years, including Porsche, which had a giant statue playing with its car at last year’s Art Basel.
