My FH5 Log: Artura The King

Forza Horizon 5's Horizon Race-Off series update saw a clash between Team Mustang and Team F-150, a heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, and whoever side gets first, wins one of the hero cars of the update.

Behind the heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, an unexpected visitor appeared and that's okay because this is the McLaren Forza fans waited for since the car's debut three years ago.

This is the McLaren Artura, the hybrid supercar that I won from the Horizon Race-Off Wet Season Playlist. We've been pleading for this car to arrive here and now that it's here, it's time for a little word with McLaren's hybrid supercar.

The McLaren Artura is the company's first V6-powered PHEV supercar that injects most of its motorsport know-how into the making of this unorthodox machine. The 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine is mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled Li-ion battery producing 680PS of power and 720Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed SSG, it sprints from 0-60mph in three seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. Running on electricity alone, it can go for as little as 19 miles.

Aside from the performance, the Artura has near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and specially-developed Pirelli P-ZERO tires. It even comes with a Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle.

The Artura may be a show-off in the middle of a heated debate but being the ideal gentleman disruptor, it sure knows how to flex its muscles well. Although it feels different compared to most McLarens offered in the game, it feels moderately good to drive on asphalt terms, and for the fun of it, addicting. It's all about making a great statement in the name of McLaren-ism.

Still, I've waited long enough to drive the Artura in the world of Forza, and in honor of its arrival, it's time for a leisurely street race against tough drivers to prove if I'm either Lando Norris enough or Oscar Piastri enough to be with the Artura. Roll the tape.

Yes, it was a tough challenge but the Artura survived and won.

Forza players like me have waited three years since McLaren debuted the Artura supercar and now that it's here, we found great reasons to enjoy it, even while disrupting the heated debate between Team Mustang and Team F-150 we're on. This is performance, amplified.

Gosh, I wanted to conclude my little impression with the Artura but...I'm working on a little surprise for the Artura so...watch this space.

McLaren Artura Spider

Being around for three years, the hybrid McLaren supercar called the Artura is now made even better for the 2025 model year. It's not just the power increase to its V6 hybrid powertrain but the addition of the new Spider variant makes sense.

2025 McLaren Artura Spider

2025 McLaren Artura Spider

Starting at 221,500 Pounds plus additional costs, the first-ever Artura Spider delivers the open-air experience to the Artura you know while blessed with numerous improvements to get hooked with it for longer.

At first glance, it looks just like the Artura but with a retractable hardtop that can be opened or closed at the touch of a button. It's hard to differentiate it from the normal hardtop Artura, but expect the added weight compared to the normal Artura because the Spider adds 137lbs of weight, Spider's 3212 vs Artura's 3075.

Despite the weight penalty, the performance is almost intact. Thanks to its updated PHEV powertrain with its 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled 7.4kWh Li-ion battery producing 700PS of power output, it does 0-62mph in three seconds and a top speed of 205mph (330km/h). Like the hardtop equivalent, the Spider is mated to an 8-speed SSG.

In terms of efficiency, the Spider, like its hardtop equivalent, has a fuel economy of 58.9mpg (4.8L/100km) based on EU WLTP standards and running on electric power alone, it's good for 21 miles (33km), good while you're in the suburbs or in streets of London.

For speedo boys channeling their inner Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, the Artura Spider, like its hardtop equivalent, is McLaren at its best on the road and on the track because of its near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and Pirelli Cyber Tyres that provide real-time data on temperature and pressure to the car and driver, crucial for safety on and off the track. It even has Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle as well.

With the upgraded hybrid power and the new Spider variant, the first-ever McLaren Artura is now made even better than when it was new three years ago. Be ready for it.

Photo: McLaren

McLaren Artura

Back in 2013, McLaren created the P1, a hybrid hypercar that forever spectacularly rewrote the rules of electrification. Then came the Speedtail, which became the most powerful McLaren ever built. Thanks to such astonishing achievement, McLaren decided to employ most of their electrification know-how in their brand new supercar known as the Artura, Britain's answer to the Ferrari SF90 Stradale.

Priced at over 180K Pounds, the first-ever McLaren Artura is an entirely new McLaren that uses most of the know-how from the legendary P1 and Speedtail, creating a plug-in hybrid supercar that makes its first impression last for speedo boys behind the wheel.

Beginning with the design, the Artura is like a mashup between the GT's rear and the 570's front. Mind you, the Artura served as the replacement for the 570S (although its GT equivalent will continue as well as its big brother, the 720S). Although it's hard to determine which position the Artura sits in, rest assured it feels like it's the middle child of the family of elitists, which is nice. The interior, meanwhile, is typical McLaren without all of the showy features that most luxury cars have. You just get in, buckle up, hit the switch, and go. No explanations.

The PHEV powertrain is the Artura's core that brings life to this hybrid supercar. The 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine is mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled Li-ion battery producing 680PS of power and 720Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed SSG, it sprints from 0-60mph in three seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. That's less than its chief rival, the Ferrari SF90.

Running on electricity alone, it can go for as little as 19 miles, which is fine on the city streets until you hit the highway and return to engaging its petrol engine and make some noise.

In terms of dynamics, the Artura is McLaren at its best on the road and on the track because of its near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and specially-developed Pirelli P-ZERO tires. It even comes with a Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle. Go to the least and it's no longer a drift machine but go the furthest, it's the hardest to control unless you have the skills of a pro drifter to do it. When set to its well-balanced setting, the Artura is fun to drive and fun to drift as well.

Although it's not a proper threat to the Ferrari SF90, the McLaren Artura follows in the footsteps of the P1 and the Speedtail with its electrified powertrain that will inspire others to do the same in the age of the new normal. Because of such dynamics and powertrain that will cater to the next generation of speedo boys, the Artura really is the McLaren you'd wish to have if you are itching to drive one someday. This car is now under red notice and the whole world's on its rearview mirror.

Photo: McLaren