If you’ve been hoping McLaren will expand its lineup of supercars with more affordable options, you’re out of luck. The automaker is looking up-market and has no plans to introduce a new supercar below the Artura anytime soon, according to Jamie Corstorphine, McLaren’s Director of Product Planning.
Corstorphine revealed in an interview with CarScoops that the 570S didn’t meet customer or media expectations, and the Artura was the response to that. It will now be the entry point into the brand’s supercars, with a starting price of just over $250,000.
McLaren revealed the car in early 2021. It debuted featuring a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter hybrid V-6 powertrain making a combined 671 horsepower and 593 pound-feet of torque. It could hit 62 miles per hour in just 3.0 seconds while reaching a 205-mph limited top speed, but it took the company a while to deliver those performance promises.
The Artura faced some serious development and production hurdles that forced McLaren to delay its launch on more than one occasion. The company had originally planned to launch the car in late 2020, but COVID-induced supply chain issues, the chip shortage, and quality problems disrupted that timeline. A recall in late 2022 and another delay in implementing extra quality control procedures further disrupted the car’s rollout to customers.
While the Artura will be McLaren’s base supercar, the GTS will remain the brand’s cheapest offering. It’s a grand tourer with a twin-turbo V-8, but it only makes 626 hp. If you want the full-fat McLaren supercar experience, you’ll need to start with the Artura.