McLaren Artura Spider officially revealed as 689bhp Hybrid drop-top

The McLaren Artura Spider is revealed with 689bhp and improvements over the Artura Coupe. Costs from £221,500.

It’s three years since the McLaren Artura Plug-in Hybrid arrived as McLaren bowed to electrification for its ‘starter’ model, and although there were issues with the Artura which delayed its delivery, McLaren thinks now is the time to add a drop-top to the range with the new McLaren Artura Spider.

Despite folding hard-tops disappearing from the market, McLaren is sticking with the formula, with a roof with an optional glass panel which opens or closes in 11 seconds at up to 31mph, with new buttresses and cooling vents to accommodate the roof.

The 3.0-litre V6 Hybrid now produces 690bhp and 531lb/ft of torque – up by 20bhp on the Coupe – with new engine mounts to improve stability, and revised calibration for the eight-speed ‘box.

Performance for the Spider is almost exactly the same as the Coupem with 0-62mph in 3.0 seconds, 124mph in 8.4 seconds, and 186mph in 21.6 seconds on the way to a top speed of 205mph.

The pure electric mode in the Spider is powered by a 7.4kWh battery promising EV range of 21 miles (not that you’ll get that), with new aerothermal cooling ducts to improve airflow, carbon ceramic brakes, and revised dampers.

The new McLaren Artura Spider is now open for orders with prices starting at £221,500. And if you’ve just got an Artura Coupe and feel a bit miffed the Spider has 20bhp more, McLaren will tweak your Coupe to deliver the same power free of charge.