Not only does the McLaren Artura Spider allow you to experience hybrid supercar thrills unfiltered, but it’s also better than the coupé version in other ways
The term ‘going topless’ has different meanings in our everyday lives, but for us automotive enthusiasts, we can celebrate it without the risk of being NSFW. Well, the McLaren Artura that debuted in 2021 as the carmaker’s first series-production hybrid supercar has now gotten the topless treatment three years later in the form of the Artura Spider. Now, what’s special about this Artura isn’t only limited to a convertible roof that allows unfiltered thrills, but there’s also other gains over the original Artura.
The main improvements are under the hood. For starters, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol-hybrid engine is retained, but it now puts out a combined 700 hp, 20 hp more than its hard-top counterpart. Couple that with a faster-shifting eight-speed DCT and you get an identical 0-100 km/h sprint in three seconds and a top speed of 330 km/h. This is impressive considering the Artura Spider is 62 kg heavier than the coupé, at 1,457 kg.
For those that love a bit of wheelspin off the line, McLaren have added a “Spinning Wheel Pull-Away” feature. Basically, it activates by disengaging the ESC, allowing all that power to be unleashed on the rear wheels. There are also other areas where the Artura Spider has gained thanks to new brake cooling ducts, better engine airflow, as well as revised damper valving.
Now, on to the most visual differentiator between the Artura and Artura Spider, the design. At a glance, the Spider version looks largely similar to the coupé aside from the removable carbon-fibre roof. To incorporate this, McLaren had to make tweaks to the powertrain’s cooling vents and the windscreen surround. It takes 11 seconds to open or close the roof via eight electric motors.
If you’re wondering what these performance gains in the McLaren Artura Spider mean for the Artura coupé, there’s good news. The carmaker is including these enhancements as part of a MY2025 update. What’s more, existing Artura owners can get that 20-hp engine boost free of charge via their McLaren retailer.
