Entry-level supercar is McLaren’s unsung tech leader

Changes in the way the British car-maker builds its cars and both performance and driver engagement improvements for the MY25 McLaren Artura and the new Artura Spider will deliver the plaudits the brand deserves.

That’s the sentiment of McLaren insiders as the high-performance car marque launched its latest version of the junior supercar in France this week.

Speaking to carsales, McLaren’s chief communications officer Piers Scott was optimistic for the year(s) ahead and the evidence of progress the updated Artura represents.

After a torrid launch in and around COVID and a highly publicised recall (after a small number of vehicles fires), the initial reception of the Artura was lukewarm despite its ambitious hybridised powertrain.

Changes to production and quality processes and model year updates to sharpen the Artura in both coupe and Spider forms are evidence of the progress, Scott says.

As part of the realignment, McLaren has trimmed production too.

“Our priority has been profitability – profitability for the company, profitability for the retailer network and protecting the investment of our customers,” Scott explained.

“We touched 5000 units in 2019, but stock levels across the retailer network globally were very high and that was reflected in residual values.

“So we’ve settled, if I talk at a global level, [at] 3000 to 3500 thousand units with strong margins. So we are very happy with how that side of things is performing.

“But the proof is always in the pudding and what we need to demonstrate is that the substance is there. So that starts with the right leadership team.

“Michael Leiters [McLaren Automotive CEO since July 2022] has completely restructured the organisation, both in terms of working practices and production processes, and now designed-in quality is the priority.

“Quality isn’t something that you just do at the end of manufacturing. You need the relevant team sitting together at inception in order that when any given component part is being considered, you are giving thought to the sourcing of that and the robustness in the supply chain to be able to deliver it.

“Do we have the in-house competence really to be able to implement certain things or do we need to bring that in and then from a pure manufacturing point of view, do we have the testing and validation to make sure the cars are exceptional before they go to market?

“That has been a two-year process and I would like to think we can now point to an extremely robust product. And we are seeing that in the feedback that we get from media, but equally importantly from customers and retailers.

“In terms of the Artura project specifically, it was hampered by the time period in which it launched. Even much larger, more mature organisations would think twice about introducing a new tub, a new powertrain, a new electric motor, first series-production hybrid, first new transmission, new ethernet electrical architecture, the list goes on.

“It was a very ambitious project and therefore I think it’s fair to say it took us longer to perfect than we would have liked. But I would argue we are there now.”

Scott says the update to the Artura should give it the spotlight in its own right – not just an entry-level car for the marque.

“I think what we have is clear differentiation in terms of our product segmentation,” he said. “It could be said that in our first decade you had relatively minor variations on the same recipe in terms of the V8 [powertrain], the [chassis] tub and so forth.

“What we now have is a V6 series-production hybrid, extraordinarily lightweight, highly innovative, true to the McLaren DNA, but with performance characteristics more orientated towards road.

“[And] sitting just above it, an old-school analog supercar in the form of 750S… And therefore you have two supercars at different price points but with quite clear characters and distinctions.

“Yes, I think the Artura now very much has its own place, clearly differentiated in the range,” said Scott.

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