I’ve always wondered if a supercar could ever justify its $300,000 price tag in a world where you can get similar performance from a $50,000 EV, and recently, I got my answer
December 25, 2024 at 11:15
Let’s face it, most automotive journalists—myself included—spend their days buried in the thrilling world of budget sedans, mid-range SUVs, and the occasional EV with delusions of grandeur. And while that’s already a pretty sweet gig (seriously, try whining about it to someone stuck in a cubicle), there’s a unique kind of adrenaline rush when someone tosses you the keys to a $300,000 McLaren Artura Spider and says, “Go have fun in the French Riviera.” It’s a tough job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it.
Despite more than a decade of experience in the automotive industry, I had never driven a car with the level of performance and handling sophistication that the McLaren Artura offers. Beyond the usual review, my goal was to explore what it feels like to step into the shoes of a first-time supercar driver. After all, the Artura is McLaren’s entry-level supercar offering, making a compelling case for newcomers to join the brand.
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Coming from a world of spicy hot hatches, performance sedans, and rapid EVs with startling acceleration, I was curious to see just how far beyond those categories a supercar could take me—and whether I’d end up quietly terrified by its capabilities. I’ll admit, I was initially skeptical about the price tag. Three hundred grand? That’s about ten Volkswagen GTIs and a really nice garage. But after one drive, I was eating my skepticism faster than the Artura devours asphalt.
An Attention-Grabber With An Attention To Detail
Supercars, by definition, make their first impression long before the engine even turns over. The baby McLaren is no exception, with its mid-engine proportions, absurdly wide stance, and angry-yet-sexy demeanor loudly announcing its arrival. Every swooping line and aggressive vent serves a purpose. And yes, even those dihedral doors that swing up like wings aren’t just for show as they help you clamber into the cabin, over the wide side sills and into the purpose-built bucket seats. More importantly, though, they make you feel cooler than everyone else.
The seats are mounted just a few inches above the tarmac, giving you the unmistakable feeling that you’re practically one with the road. You can actually see the carbon tub wrapped around you, a subtle reminder that you’re sitting in something engineered for speed, not just comfort. Surprisingly, visibility is better than you’d expect from such a low-slung supercar, and the Artura feels compact enough to weave through busy streets without any major drama.
The same goes for ground clearance. Thanks to the nose-lift function, you won’t have to endure the soul-crushing sound of the front splitter meeting a speed bump. Yes, the ride is firmer than what you’d get from a sedan or an SUV (shocker, I know), but it’s not spine-shattering. In fact, I’d say it’s about on par with a hardcore hot hatch. The active dampers do a commendable job of ironing out the road’s imperfections, making the Artura tolerable even on less-than-perfect surfaces.
Practicality is a weak point compared to almost all non-supercar offerings, but those who prioritize cargo capacity and in-cabin storage should probably look at the Grand Tourer segment. The good thing is that the Artura provides enough comfort both in the city and on the highway, making it perfectly livable as a daily – as long as you don’t overdo it with your supermarket list. The headroom is adequate even for taller individuals, so the only part of the ownership experience that requires some extra flexibility is getting in and out of the car.
The Superstar Effect
Of course, the tradeoff for practicality is that you’ll feel like a Hollywood star every time you hit the streets. The Artura draws attention like a Kardashian on the red carpet. Kids point, adults gawk, and even the occasional grandma can’t help but snap a photo. If you’re the shy, introverted type, this car isn’t for you. Owning a supercar is as much about being seen as it is about the driving experience—and in the Artura, you will absolutely be seen.
Why Drive a Supercar? Because It’s Glorious
And now we get to the heart of what makes a supercar truly special: the driving experience. Sure, modern EVs like the Tesla Model 3 Performance and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N can deliver neck-snapping acceleration and razor-sharp handling for a fraction of what McLaren asks for. So why bother with the supercar club at all? The short answer: it’s all about the thrill, the kind of raw, visceral driving dynamics that EVs, for all their brilliance, just can’t replicate (and sometimes, not even maintain).
The cornering abilities and the chassis sophistication of the McLaren Artura prove why supercars are considered an entirely different breed. The superior rigidity of the carbon tub can be felt right from the first corner, while the sharpness of the steering is way better than anything you’ll find in a regular sports car.
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Crucially, electronics are always there to save the day, making sure that even the least experienced driver can have fun behind the wheel while exploring their limits. Overall, I was surprised to discover the friendliness of the entry-level McLaren supercar, proving how much things have evolved since the analogue era.
As expected, the outright performance from the Artura’s 690 hp (515 kW / 700 PS) plug-in hybrid powertrain feels nothing short of impressive. The same can be said for most performance-focused EVs, but none of them can match the growling sound of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 through the high-mounted exhaust. Crucially, no mainstream offering can get close to the way a supercar attacks the road, defying the laws of physics.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had an absolute blast behind the wheel of driver-focused gems like the Mazda MX-5 or the Ford Fiesta ST, and I’m a sucker for the raw, unfiltered vibe of a classic sports car. But what happened in Monaco was something else entirely as the baby McLaren introduced me to a level of performance and cornering precision so insane, it felt like it belonged in the plot of a sci-fi movie rather than reality.
The best way to describe it? Sitting behind the wheel of a supercar feels like slipping into an Iron Man suit—suddenly, everything is easier, faster, and about ten times more thrilling than it has any right to be.
We All Want The Same Thing
As if handing over the keys of the Artura Spider for a day wasn’t enough, McLaren went full “lifestyles of the rich and famous” on us, putting us up in five-star hotels and treating us to Michelin-starred dining in the heart of Monaco, so we could better understand their customer base.
What I discovered after briefly living among yacht owners is that, deep down, we’re all chasing the same thing: pure, unfiltered excitement. At its core, a supercar delivers the same kind of rush you felt as a kid riding a roller coaster, just with more horsepower, fewer sticky cotton candy fingers and worth every second. And despite its fighter jet-levels of engineering and design sophistication, modern technology makes that supercar thrill surprisingly accessible to drivers of all skill levels, from seasoned pros to, well, people who still treat a roundabout like it’s a complex math problem.
And really, isn’t that what we all want? Now, if only selling a kidney on the black market wasn’t frowned upon, I’d already be halfway there.
