The 2025 McLaren Artura Convertible Supercar Doesn't Slow Things Down

When it debuted, the McLaren Artura was only the second electrically assisted production car after the P1 and the first V-6 that the Surrey manufacturer created. Even with a 3.0-liter twin turbo V-6, the engine was still producing north of 560 horsepower by itself and bumped up to over 660 hp when the axial flux motor kicked in. Now for 2024, the Artura has a new trick up its sleeve, and that's before you hit the accelerator.

The surprisingly minor part of the news on the 2025 Artura is that its getting a power bump for its ICE. From 577 hp, the twin turbo V-6 will now produce 596 hp and 431 lb-ft of torque. When combined, this McLaren supercar will hit 690 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque and good for propelling this 3,439 pound car to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds and pass the quarter mile in just 10.8 seconds. So not much of a change, but this additional power will be passed to previous Arturas in an update from a McLaren dealer for owners who want the additional ponies under its bonnet.

The next set of minor tricks comes when you are driving it. First, you're going to hear a more engaging and "sportier" exhaust note while the ICE is running. The change comes in the form of a new resonator and a new upward and conical shape of the exhaust tips coming out of the rear bodywork. There is also a new "sports" exhaust system that features a "symposer" to bring natural exhaust sounds into the cabin.

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Then, when you shift, the eight-speed SSG gearbox will now shift 25 percent faster than before and this is due to "pre-filling" the gearshifts. Normally, the system is pressurized and ready to shift when you demand, but there is just the little bit of a delay as the pressure must build up to and then pass that threshold to engage the next gear. What McLaren has done is pressurized the hydraulic fluid in the dual-clutch gearbox to its threshold—that McLaren says is its "kiss point"—so that the shifter system is ready to shift into the next gear exactly when its demanded by the paddle or by the automatic programming.

Will this add any additional wear to the system by doing this pre-filling? That's unknown. But this faster shifting programming won't come with the new engine calibration that the older Arturas will be able to get. These 2024 and under McLarens will retain the original shift system pressures.

The big news is, of course, that the Artura will have a drop top version along with the coupe. McLaren says that the Artura Spider will be the "lightest convertible supercar in its class," and will only be 136.7 pounds heavier than the coupe. This will also give the Artura Spider a power-to-weight ratio of 473.4 hp per tonne or 5.64 pounds per hp.

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Even with its top down, the Artura Spider still retains its rigidity as the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) is designed to work with a convertible and coupe body style. Even with this new drop top, the chimney to vent the "hot vee" engine remains but is changed to allow for the powered hardtop to stow away and allow you to enjoy open-air driving.

That roof will also retract or return in 11 seconds and at speeds up to 31 mph, or by standing outside it and using the keyfob when parked. This roof comes as a solid panel, but you can option for McLaren's electrochromic glass that tints the glass to five different shade levels using an electrical signal and has been around since 2017.

The Artura also features improved suspension and body details to build upon the existing performance in those areas. The rear suspension features a revised damper valving while its Proactive Damping Control have improve its response rates by 90 percent. Some of this is also due to an improved electrical architecture using improved ethernet communication within the body for increased data capacity and transfer speeds.

Brake cooling ducts have been changed to improve the thermal management of the brakes for better consistency and performance. For its ADAS package, new lane departure warning and speed limit detection are standard on the Artura while blindspot monitoring and rear-cross traffic will become available as an option. The Bowers and Wilkins surround system remains but is improved with new rear speakers and central speaker on the Spider.

The 2025 McLaren Artura Spider will be available to order now but delivery will begin in mid-2024 starting at $273,800 for a standard version while three other interior options will come in at $9,400 extra.