While the present state of play for power-train development and production remains in flux, the current gold standard is certainly hybridization, which offers the visceral allure of internal combustion with the efficiencies of battery power—a combination exquisitely showcased in the McLaren Artura Spider. That the car would be a contender was never a question, given that its coupe counterpart finished second last year in our contest; what was less certain was how it would fare against its flagship stablemate, the 750S. “The acceleration is stunning and yet very pure, with the right amount of feel when the gears shift," said Jeff Mitelman. “In the corners, nothing compares… You feel like the limits of what it can do are more in your head than in the car." Eric Murphy was also a fan, citing the “on-rails handling and strong ease-of-use—one of my favorite sports cars available on the market today."
Yet not all were smitten with the hybrid drop- top. “ ‘Finally, a V-6 McLaren,’ said no one ever," quipped Joshua Greenman. Franklin Zhao complained that the “power hookup is surprisingly slow for a super hybrid," while Morgan Saliny observed that “you feel every pound of difference between this and the 750S."
Still, most judges appreciated the model’s overall presence and drive dynamics. “The level of engineering is mind-blowing," said Cynthia Madrid. “The car was eager to push its limits before I was, so be ready!" Perhaps in the final analysis, John Graff was most on point when he commented not just that the Artura Spider was “99 percent as good as the 750S" but also, “I would love to spend all day deciding what the 1 percent is."
Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 with electric motor
Power: 690 hp (combined)
0-60 MPH: 3.0 sec
Top Speed: 205 mph
Base Price: $273,800
As Tested: $307,568
From the article by Viju Mathew and Robert Ross
