Surrey-based McLaren Automotive will capitalise on its expertise in hybrid powertrain engineering with the introduction next year of the new Artura, a high-performance hybrid (HPH) supercar.

Brand new in every respect, the Artura marks the beginning of a new era for the pioneering British company. Building on the expertise in electrification first showcased in the McLaren P1TM hybrid hypercar unveiled in 2012 and more recently the Speedtail Hyper-GT, which entered production this year as McLaren’s fastest-ever car with a top speed of 250mph.

McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt said: “Every element of the Artura is all-new – from the platform architecture and every part of the HPB powertrain, to the exterior body, interior and cutting-edge driver interface – but it draws on decades of McLaren experience in pioneering super-lightweight race and road car technologies to bring all of our expertise in electrification to the supercar class.”

The new Artura features a new compact twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, designed to combine with an electric motor in a new lightweight HPH powertrain that retains the performance benefits of McLaren’s larger capacity V8 engines and has the additional attraction of improved torque response at low engine speeds for fast acceleration. The Artura can also run on electric power alone for everyday emission-free urban journeys.

The first car to be built on the new platform architecture, designed and manufactured in the UK at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre, the Artura furthers McLaren’s commitment to super-lightweight engineering principles that have their roots in motorsport.

The additional mass of the HPH system has been largely offset by the application of weight-saving technologies throughout the chassis, body and powertrain.