2025 McLaren Artura Gets Key Updates, Adds Spider Convertible
The McLaren Artura plug-in hybrid supercar gets a series of updates for the 2025 model year including more power, a few chassis revisions and the inevitable drop-top variant that some drivers were waiting for.
Let’s start with the Artura Spider, whose design is unsurprisingly almost identical to that of the coupe, except for the hard top that can retract in as little as 11 seconds. Said top is a carbon fibre and composite panel but can also be configured with an electrochromic glass panel, which can either brighten the cabin or block more than 99 percent of sunlight at the touch of a button, McLaren claims.
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Designers had to move the powertrain cooling vents further to the rear of the car in order to accommodate the retractable hard top mechanism and tonneau cover. Between the buttresses is a heated rear screen, which raises or lowers at the touch of a button either to optimize comfort with the roof down or to allow exhaust sound into the cabin for a more exhilarating driving experience when the top is raised.
The automaker proudly notes that the Artura Spider has a curb weight of 1,560 kg, or just 62 kg more than the coupe, while the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) provides a secure platform with no loss of rigidity when the hard top is dropped.
A Bit More Muscle
Both the Artura and Artura Spider generate up to 690 horsepower for 2025, a gain of 19 horsepower versus the current model. Peak torque is still 531 lb-ft, but its delivery has been optimized via minor changes to electronic mapping. The electric motor paired to the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine is unchanged.
The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission’s calibration has been revised to incorporate a new pre-fill feature that enables 25 percent faster gear shifts. Disappointingly, perhaps, 0-100 km/h acceleration is not any quicker, requiring the same 3 seconds as before.
Love burnouts? Don’t miss the new Spinning Wheel Pull-Away function. Activated by disengaging Electronic Stability Control, it allows dramatic wheelspin when accelerating from a standstill with a large throttle load.
With regard to the chassis, McLaren engineers have increased the response rates of the Proactive Damping Control suspension by up to 90 percent, improving reaction to driver input and changes in road surface. They’ve also fitted enhanced lightweight aluminium brake callipers and new brake cooling ducts. While braking distances don’t change (31 metres to go from 100-0 km/h), expect steadier performance after repeated hard stops.
One last thing we want to point out: a new 15-spoke wheel design in a silver finish comes standard, while a new gold-coloured wheel finish is available on both Dynamo and Star wheel designs.
The 2025 McLaren Artura and Artura Spider can be ordered now, with deliveries scheduled to begin later this year. Canadian pricing has yet to be announced, but remember that the coupe currently starts at $276,900.