{"id":31895,"date":"2023-12-21T18:43:55","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T22:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=31895"},"modified":"2023-12-21T18:43:55","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T22:43:55","slug":"payne-what-i-want-for-christmas-a-mclaren-artura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/payne-what-i-want-for-christmas-a-mclaren-artura","title":{"rendered":"Payne: What I want for Christmas? A McLaren Artura"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Hell<\/em>,\u00a0<em>Michigan<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 If I can\u2019t have a Formula One car under the tree for Christmas, I\u2019ll settle for a McLaren Artura. And at $300K \u2014 just 2% the cost of a $15 million F1 machine \u2014 it\u2019s a steal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Artura, the latest creation from the elves in Woking, England, has a carbon fiber monocoque similar to the company\u2019s Formula One car. And a hybrid twin-turbo V-6 engine like its F1 car. And similar rear-wheel drive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Take this combination onto Hadley Road here and it\u2019s Christmas in Hell.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978550007-mc-laren-artura-fr-34-road.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"497\" height=\"280\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">On a lonely stretch of Hadley, I put my right foot to the floor in launch control and Artura exploded forward, blowing past 60 mph in less than three seconds on my way to the moon. But first, a blind right-hander. The McLaren sliced it perfectly, the steering wheel a knife in my hands. With a chassis wrapped as tightly as \u2014 well, carbon-fiber threads \u2014 Artura exhibited no body roll, its summer Pirelli P-Zero tires responding instantly to my small steering inputs.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Auto racing and manufacturing have been intertwined for decades going back to Henry Ford\u2019s Sweepstakes triumph. Nearly every major manufacturer today is invested in motorsport for its marketing and tech-transfer benefits. Then there are manufacturers who started as race teams. Ferrari, Lotus and the latest to cross over into production cars: McLaren.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Arturo is a case study in a how a brand\u2019s enormous investment in Formula One hybrid tech translates to production. The English company is determined to explore the technology\u2019s envelope to also deliver a luxury touring-car experience. Thus the name Artura \u2014 a fusion of \u201cart\u201d and future.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978560007-mc-laren-artura-rr-34-doorsroad.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"King of Hell. The 2023 McLaren Artura struts its stuff.\" width=\"472\" height=\"266\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978560007-mc-laren-artura-rr-34-doorsroad.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978560007-mc-laren-artura-rr-34-doorsroad.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"King of Hell. The 2023 McLaren Artura struts its stuff.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"King of Hell. The 2023 McLaren Artura struts its stuff.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Arturo is a hybrid in more than one sense of the word. It\u2019s a car with multiple personalities \u2014 a country-club tourer for Dr. Jekyll, a track weapon for Mr. Hyde.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">McLaren has nailed the \u201cart\u201d piece. Before my descent into Hell (when hair sprouts, Hyde-like, from my knuckles and back), I took a detour through Ann Arbor to pick up my favorite Reuben sandwich at Zingerman\u2019s. I might as well have been Brad Pitt.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"2\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">At a stoplight, backpack-carrying school kids saw the Serpentine Blue McLaren and erupted into cheers, jumping up and down. Couples on the sidewalk stared and pointed at the rolling sculpture. Arriving at Zingerman\u2019s, the McLaren\u2019s scissor doors opened upward and brought a basketball game to a standstill in the adjacent park.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">From stem to stern, McLaren has mid-engine proportions down cold. Artura is the love child of the lean McLaren 570 and iconic 720s \u2014 the latter one of the most distinctive mid-engine cars ever made. Scalloped side intakes feed huge radiators located fore of the rear wheels. It\u2019s sensual, simple, yet boasts remarkable outward visibility (compared to, say, the pillbox quarters of a Corvette C8).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978533007-mc-laren-artura-cockpit.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"A blizzard of steering column stalks control the 2023 McLaren Artura.\" width=\"522\" height=\"294\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978533007-mc-laren-artura-cockpit.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978533007-mc-laren-artura-cockpit.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"A blizzard of steering column stalks control the 2023 McLaren Artura.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"A blizzard of steering column stalks control the 2023 McLaren Artura.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The simplicity continues inside where McLaren has taken learnings from previous models and consolidated the drive setting and engine mode buttons on either side of the motorcycle-like gauge cluster behind the steering wheel. Only the steering wheel defies the spare theme with more stalks protruding from it than a buck has antlers.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">Michigan Politics<\/span>\u00a0newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<p class=\"description\">Washington and Lansing, red and blue, we&#8217;ve got your government covered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frequency\">Delivery: Daily<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"input-container populated\"><input autocomplete=\"off\" name=\"email\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"clickable\"><\/div>\n<p><label>Your Email<\/label><\/div>\n<div id=\"bar\">\n<div class=\"highlight\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-primary\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-secondary\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">There are shift paddles, wiper stalk, cruise control stalk, light stalk and instrument control stalk. What, no column shifter? No, DRIVE, NEUTRAL and REVERSE are still selected by console buttons mounted below the flame-red START button.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Push START and \u201cfuture\u201d kicks in. Where Artura\u2019s design and chassis are familiar, the drivetrain is a new animal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Unlike its forebears, Artura starts in silence. In ELECTRIC mode. On battery power. Like a Prius.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978531007-mc-laren-artura-chargeinstrum.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2023 McLaren Artura can be charged overnight to 19 miles of electric-only range.\" width=\"504\" height=\"284\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978531007-mc-laren-artura-chargeinstrum.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978531007-mc-laren-artura-chargeinstrum.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2023 McLaren Artura can be charged overnight to 19 miles of electric-only range.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2023 McLaren Artura can be charged overnight to 19 miles of electric-only range.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">I silently crept out of Zingerman\u2019s parking lot without offending neighbors&#8217; ears \u2014 or anti-fossil fuel UM academics. Exiting Main Street onto the M-23 four-lane headed for Hell, I toggled to COMFORT drive mode and squeezed the throttle. The powertrain increased the pace on full electric power before finally engaging the other half of the hybrid performance team: the twin-turbo V-6. Artura was now in full stride, yet the hybrid powertrain only emitted the sound of an angry vacuum cleaner.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-4\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"3\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Engage SPORT and the character of the V-6 emerges \u2014 Porsche six-like in its urgency \u2014 as it took advantage of McLaren\u2019s lightning-quick eight-speed automatic gear set. That\u2019s quite a show of the hybrid powertrain\u2019s dexterity with the best yet to come.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">TRACK mode, counter-intuitively, is the most ambidextrous of them all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In the hands of heathens like me, TRACK mode will drink 2\/3<sup>rd<\/sup>\u00a0more fuel than COMFORT mode thanks to its prodigious power, short-gear ratio and neck-snapping launch control. But select TRACK mode for your interstate ride home from, say, Hell, and it will efficiently use the motor to replenish the 19 miles of battery-only range you exhausted while being stealthy in Ann Arbor. Gas guzzler and battery charger all in one mode.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978568007-mc-laren-artura-welcometohell.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Armed with a hybrid, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6, the 2023 McLaren Artura was a blast to drive in Hell -- home of Michigan's best roads.\" width=\"509\" height=\"287\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978568007-mc-laren-artura-welcometohell.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978568007-mc-laren-artura-welcometohell.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"Armed with a hybrid, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6, the 2023 McLaren Artura was a blast to drive in Hell -- home of Michigan's best roads.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Armed with a hybrid, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6, the 2023 McLaren Artura was a blast to drive in Hell -- home of Michigan's best roads.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Of course, gas guzzling is always more fun, and the howl of the V-6 across Hell\u2019s twisted country roads is irresistible. But choosing the TRACK chassis setting? Not so much.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">So stiff is Artura in TRACK setting that the car was frenetic over bumpy Patterson Lake Road. That\u2019s a lotta bumps. This must be what a Formula One car feels like on public byways. I found myself constantly fighting the wheel to stay on course. Leave TRACK for smooth race tracks.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-5\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"4\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Artura\u2019s sweet spot is SPORT. The suspension keeps the supercar planted, but not harsh so the chassis and drivetrain can work their magic. While I find Porsche 911s to be the most balanced cars in the supercar library, carbon-fiber wonders like the Artura are like nimble go-karts. A go-kart with a rocket strapped to its back.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Despite giving up 1,000 cc and 2-cylinders to the glorious twin-turbo V-8 found in predecessor 570\/600 supercars, Artura healthily beats them in horsepower (671) and torque (531). McLaren points to the electric motor which (overcoming the hybrid system\u2019s additional 300 pounds of weight) serves as \u201ctorque fill\u201d to give the six-holer added oomph at the low end to help it fill its lungs on the way to a screaming 8,500 RPM.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978566007-mc-laren-artura-side.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Art. The 2023 McLaren Artura is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive super car.\" width=\"513\" height=\"289\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978566007-mc-laren-artura-side.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/12\/20\/PDTN\/71978566007-mc-laren-artura-side.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"Art. The 2023 McLaren Artura is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive super car.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Art. The 2023 McLaren Artura is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive super car.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cHoly crap!\u201d yelled my friend Anthony over the V-6 as we shot off an interstate on-ramp like a sidewinder missile. Arturo boasts an upgraded infotainment system but we never touched the dial, so engaging is the V-6 audio. Zero-60 blows by in just 2.6 seconds (quicker than the 710 horsepower, V8-powered 720S) and 100 mph in 5.5 seconds (matching 720S).<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-6\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"5\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Kind of like a Formula One car. Merry Christmas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Next week: 2024 Honda Accord vs. Kia EV6<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>2024 McLaren Artura<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Vehicle type: Mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-passenger supercar<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Price: $237,500, including $3,086 destination ($289,175 Elite as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Powerplant: 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6 hybrid mated to electric motor and 7.4 kWh lithium battery pack<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Power: 671 horsepower, 531 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 2.6 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 205 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Weight: 3,443 lbs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Fuel economy: EPA 17 mpg city\/21 highway\/18 combined<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-7\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"6\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Report card<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Highs: Supermodel looks; rock-solid chassis<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Lows: Maintenance worries; you\u2019ll be trailed by paparazzi<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Overall: 4 stars<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hell,\u00a0Michigan\u00a0\u2014 If I can\u2019t have a Formula One car under the tree for Christmas, I\u2019ll settle for a McLaren Artura. And at $300K \u2014 just 2% the cost of a $15 million F1 machine \u2014 it\u2019s a steal. Artura, the latest creation from the elves in Woking, England, has a carbon fiber monocoque similar to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31895"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31895"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31895\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31896,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31895\/revisions\/31896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}