Non-hybrid customer racing car
McLaren introduces the second Artura-based racing version. A brand cup racer that is stronger and faster than the GT4 racer without “Balance of Performance” restrictions.
In the McLaren Artura, a turbocharged six-cylinder engine and an electric motor lead to massive performance. The plug-in hybrid sports car for the road delivers a total of 680 hp. And despite a battery that weighs almost 90 kilograms, it still weighs less than 1.5 tons. The Artura racing car, which the British manufacturer presented in Goodwood at the Festival of Speed (June 23-26) and will soon be released in the GT4 class, is significantly lighter again.
The rules do not allow hybrid components here. So the electric motor and battery are removed. That alone reduces the vehicle weight by 130 kilograms, as McLaren explains. Compared to the predecessor McLaren 570S GT4, the Artura GT4 slims down around 100 kilograms.
Flat V6 turbo with over 500 hp
The GT4 racing car is also based on McLaren’s Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) – a lightweight monocoque. Where the hybrid battery is installed in the road sports car, the tank bladder and ancillary units are housed in the Artura GT4. McLaren speaks of a total capacity of 110 liters. Two feed pumps and one main pump would improve both reliability and performance.
The V6 engine with two turbochargers in the hot V is on its own. Nevertheless, the performance yield is considerable. The three-liter engine with a bank angle of 120 degrees drives the production model with 585 hp. How much the racing car is allowed to get out depends on the Balance of Performance (BoP).
Reverse is mandatory
The 570S GT4 relied on a V8 turbo engine. Its successor should benefit from the lower engine weight, more compact installation and lower center of gravity. McLaren also wants to have sharpened the throttle response. The Artura GT4 shifts via a seven-speed gearbox. The translation is shorter. You might be wondering why McLaren didn’t adopt the street version’s eight-speed dual clutch? Because here the electric motor takes over the task of reverse gear. In racing cars, reverse gear is mandatory in the gearbox.
The performance is the rear axle. McLaren installed a mechanical locking differential there. The engine control unit comes from Bosch. Professionals and amateurs alike will move the Artura GT4. ABS and an adjustable traction control – depending on the weather conditions – is mainly used for the latter.
Aerodynamics of the Artura GT4
The front tires are wider, the damping is better than in the 570S GT4 – says the manufacturer from British Woking. McLaren also revised the brake cooling and promises improved service. This makes it easier to remove the hoods. The rear wing nestles against the chassis from behind. This allows the rear fairing to be removed without having to touch the wing.
A splinter stretches out at the front. The front wheel arches are vented on the upper side via small gills. Getting in and out of the car has been made easier to make driver changes faster. The pedals can be adjusted to the size of the pilot. These grip a steering wheel with illuminated buttons – for driving during the day and through the night. The instrument panel is from Bosch.
Customer sport racer without BoP restrictions
The second Artura-based racing version does not have to take the balance of performance into account; it is intended solely for the one-make cup McLaren Trophy. Although this bolide uses the GT4 racer as a basis and thus also dispenses with electric support in the drive train, it does have more combustion engine power. It exactly hits the 585 hp of the engine from the production car, but can be downgraded to GT4 level with adjustments to the engine electronics. A different rear wing increases aerodynamic downforce and a modified exhaust changes pitch while curb weight decreases as BoP counterweights disappear.
In the McLaren Trophy, which will be held as part of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe series in future, the Artura meets its predecessor: the 570S Trophy can continue to compete in the one-make cup; McLaren also assures the necessary supply of spare parts and technical support. Independent racing teams fill their cockpits with both amateur and aspiring pro drivers. The calendar includes dates in France (Circuit Paul Ricard), Italy (Misano), Germany (Hockenheimring) and Spain (Barcelona), with the highlight awaiting in the middle of the season at the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium).
McLaren is launching two racing versions of the Artura: a GT4 racer and a one-make cup racer, with the latter bringing more power, less weight and higher drive to the track without BoP restrictions. It should therefore be much closer to the performance of a GT3 car than its GT4 brother.
