In 2008, the one and only Frank Stephenson was appointed head of design at what would be known as McLaren Automotive from 2010 onward. From the 12C of 2011 all the way to a strip-slaying supercar known as the 720S, he penned them all. The question is, what does the man who gave us the first-ever BMW X5 think about the Artura, the plug-in hybrid that indirectly replaces the automaker’s Sports Series?
Spoiler alert: Frank gave the V6-engined newcomer a solid 8.5 out of 10 points. This result puts the Artura between the Maserati MC20 at 7.5 points and Ford Bronco at 8.9 points, but McLaren could have done much better. “I see it as an evolution, a refinement of the 570S, and in that sense, it means that anything you do as a designer you should be able to improve upon it.”
Stephenson claims, “there is another stage up there that can take the refinement even further. I feel strongly that it’s stunning with a little bit of room for improvement.” The American-British designer refers to fine details and proportions, including the boring daytime running lights right under the headlights, the busy front-fender louvers, and characterless LED taillights.
Priced back home in the United Kingdom from £185,500 or $256,735 at current exchange rates, the Artura promises up to 30 kilometers (19 miles) of zero-emissions driving range. The electric motor, located within the dual-clutch transmission’s housing, weighs 15.4 kilograms (34 pounds) while developing 95 PS plus 225 Nm (94 horsepower and 166 pound-feet).
Under the rear deck, you’ll find a 2,993-cc V6 aided by a couple of turbochargers for good measure. On its own, the 3.0-liter engine cranks out 585 metric ponies (577 horsepower) and up to 585 Nm (431 pound-feet).
“We use a holistic approach to design, comprising both technical and studio design, areas that are often separated and sometimes even compete,” said director of engineering design Dan Parry-Williams. “McLaren Automotive sees these pillars as integrally linked and working towards common goals."
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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