Unplug, purr out of your garage, and unleash the McLaren roar

When in pure EV mode, though, it is quietly purring along. The output is just 70 kW and 225 Nm, but that’s sufficient for the city, and the car is pleasant enough in traffic (ours even had adaptive cruise control). Flick from Electric to Comfort mode – comfort being a comparative term in the firmly sprung Artura – and the fireworks start. The electric motor gives you that instant bottom-end response, the petrol engine does the heavy lifting soon afterwards.

This new V6 offers a substantial 430 kW and 585 Nm on its own. With the e-motor, the total is 500 kW and 720 Nm. The claimed 0-100 km/h time is 3 seconds, while 0-200 takes 8.3 (but don’t try that on public roads).

On the road, are you going to be using a tiny fraction of this machine’s capabilities? This leads to an obvious question. But why ask it?

The dry weight is given as 1395 kg (compared with the Ferrari’s 1470), the kerb weight just under 1500 kg.

There are four suspension modes which, like the drive modes, are operated via a toggle switch on a binnacle next to the instrument panel. The steering wheel is devoid of any switches, buttons or touchpads – a major difference with the increasingly crowded, F1-style tillers from several competitors. This, coupled with the lack of regenerative braking and the fitting of old-school hydraulic steering, highlights how the engineers sought (and successfully achieved) an analogue feel.

After Comfort, the Sport driving mode keeps both power sources running at all times, Track mode – again not recommended around town – dials back the nanny systems and maximises energy harvesting so the battery can most effectively plug any torque gaps in the combustion engine performance.

Even at sensible speeds, the front-end grip is sensational, the punch out of corners remarkable. The new e-diff provides active torque steering to help it corner like a slot car. But on the road, are you going to be using a tiny fraction of this machine’s capabilities? This leads to an obvious question. But why ask it?

Another question: is anyone really going to plug it in? The hybrid system is angled toward performance, and the engine recharges the battery. It’s probably not the sort of thing you’d use for a regular commute, diligently plugging it in each night.

The Artura’s tightly wrapped aluminium body looks small but the cabin is roomy for two occupants. There’s good visibility and everything is easy to use. A small parcel shelf behind the seats provides a little extra storage to go with the small hold in the nose. It’s not ideal for a week away, or for a big shopping trip. In the city, you are regularly pushing the nose lifter button when there is a speed bump or even an aggressive driveway scoop.

Our car was finished in Volcano Yellow, which added to the stares and whispers whenever a dihedral door was raised. Fortunately, these doors open compactly, so you can park in tight spaces. Certain aspects feel a little flimsy. The perforated panel over the engine can be depressed with a finger, for example, while the “flying buttresses” behind the rear window are a bit plasticky. Yes, that’s “lightweighting” but not necessarily confidence-inspiring. Highway running is noisy, and again that’s lightweighting.

Few people will recognise what the Artura is, beyond being a McLaren. It is externally very similar to its stablemates, despite being completely different under the skin. Most early adopters, I believe, want to make it obvious they are early adopters. That said, any McLaren still attracts attention like few things on the road.