The McLaren Artura Is Fast, But Not Fast Enough to Be a Dodge Challenger

TopSpeed

By Sidd Dhimaan

Published Apr 9, 2021

Well, it's the Dodge Challenger Super Stock, and Only by 0.2 seconds in the quarter mile

McLaren

The Artura is the stepping stone for McLaren moving into the future. It is the third hybrid model (behind the P1 and the Speedtail) and the first plug-in hybrid to roll out of the automaker’s factory. There was a lot of buzz surrounding its powertrain, but a few months into the launch, we now have some stats that give us an idea of how good (or bad) the Artura is.

As it turns out, the supercar can hit 60 mph from rest in three seconds flat and quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds. Impressive? Oh yes. However, it’s not as quick as the Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock to a quarter-mile.

The Artura Falls 0.2 Seconds Short

The McLaren Artura takes 10.7 seconds to cover a quarter-mile, but it gets beaten by the Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock which does it in 10.5 seconds. But, if they’d continue speeding away, the Artura would comfortably ‘dodge’ the Challenger because of its electronically limited top speed of 205 mph, which makes it much faster than the Challenger which tops out at 168 mph.

It’s A V-8 vs V-6

These two don’t even belong to the same segment or have any similarities other than the urge to race to the finish line, but it’s worth noting these comparisons, nevertheless. The Challenger SRT Super Stock comes with a gas-guzzling 6.2-liter, supercharged V-8 engine that makes 807 horses and 707 pound-feet of torque. It redlines at 6,400 rpm, unlike the Redeye which tops out at 6,300 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The Artura, on the other hand, is conscious of the environment. It features a 3.0-liter, V-6 engine that makes 577 horses and 431 pound-feet of torque. McLaren ditched its trusted V-8 for this new mill in the Artura. It also comes with an electric motor that churns out 94 horses and 166 pound-feet of torque. Combined, the Artura makes 671 ponies and 531 pound-feet of twist. Power hits the ground via the rear wheels only. The engine is mated to a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The Artura Doesn’t Have A Reverse Gear?

Saying that the car doesn’t have a reverse isn’t exactly untrue, but it comes with a catch. The Artura can still go backward, but it makes use of the motor to do so. The axial-flux motor that’s located in the transmission’s bell housing accelerates backward to get you moving in reverse.

The motor draws power from a 7.4 kWh battery pack that weighs 194 pounds. It can travel up to 20 miles on electric mode alone. When connected to a regular domestic plug, the battery recuperates to 80-percent in 2.5 hours. It can charge on the move, too, from the internal combustion engine. There’s no regenerative braking here. To put it in pure numbers, the McLaren Artura’s fuel economy is rated at 50 mpg, according to the WLTP cycle, when the batteries are fully charged.