McLaren Artura Vs Ferrari 296 GTB

Let me start by addressing the obvious, both these supercars are not direct rivals but we are comparing these two supercars to show how both brands have used identical recipes to make two different supercars that are similar yet belong to two different segments in the supercar world.

Let us start with the McLaren Artura. This supercar will lay the foundations for McLaren’s next generation of supercars. It replaces the McLaren 570S and will slot between the McLaren GT and McLaren 720S.

To achieve this, McLaren has chucked away their MP4-12C derived underpinnings altogether, which includes the carbon fibre tub and their tried-and-tested turbocharged V8 engine.

Powering the McLaren Artura is not one but two motors. The primary motor is an all-new 3.0-litre 120° V6 twin-turbocharged petrol motor that makes 585PS and 584Nm of torque, then there is the 95PS and 225Nm electric motor that is placed between the petrol motor and the 8-speed gearbox. Combined, the McLaren Artura produces 680PS and 720Nm of torque.

Feeding continuous power to the electric motor is a 7.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that is placed under the rear of the passenger compartment to reduce centre-of-gravity without compromising the low-snug driving position.

According to McLaren, the whole electrical system weighs just 130 kg, making the McLaren Artura just 46 kg more than its predecessor, the McLaren 570S. With the batteries fully charged, the McLaren Artura can go up to 30 kms on electric power alone, and the whole electrical system takes just 2.5-hours to charge fully using a standard EVSE cable.

Ferrari on the other hand does not replace any of its existing models and uses an almost similar recipe to make, but every single ingredient has a bit more punch to it. 

Like McLaren, the Ferrari 296 GTB is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and is powered by a similar 120° 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine and an electric motor, that is placed between the engine and the gearbox. However, the petrol motor in the Ferrari is 78PS more powerful at 663PS and the combined power out of the Ferrari is rated at 829PS and 740Nm of torque.

The similarities further extend to the size of their batteries, with the Ferrari using an almost identical 7.45-kWh battery to power its 167PS electric motor – Which is almost 176% more powerful than the e-motor in McLaren Artura. As a result, the electric-only range of Ferrari 296 GTB is rated at slightly lower 25 km.

Performance wise, both these supercars can hit 100 kph from a standstill under 3 seconds. However, the more powerful Ferrari 296 GTB reaches 200 kph in just 7.3 seconds – Which is a second faster than the McLaren Artura. In terms of top speed, both cars can hit 320 kph easily, with McLaren topping out at 330 kph and the Ferrari trumping it again by an additional 8 kph at 338 kph.

As I mentioned earlier, the Ferrari belongs to a segment above with a price tag of £230,000 and it is clearly pricier of the two by almost £45,000. However, these prices are before adding optional extras that can skyrocket the prices of both these next-gen supercars.

                                       

For the sake of comparison, for £45,000, I can easily add a Mercedes AMG C43 Estate for my quick supermarket runabouts.

That being said, would you be happy to see a Ferrari 296 GTB parked alongside your ‘more affordable’ McLaren Artura?

 

Technical Specifications

McLaren Artura

Engine: 3.0-litre 120° Twin-turbocharged V6.

Gearbox: 8-speed Dual Clutch Automatic with e-reverse gear.

Power: 680PS @ 7500 rpm.

Torque: 720Nm @ 2250 rpm.

Kerb Weight: 1395 kgs (Dry).

Electric motor: 95PS and 225Nm of torque.

Battery Pack: 7.4 kWh.

EV mode range: 30 kms.

Max. Speed in EV mode: 130 kph.

0-100 kph: 3.0 seconds.

0-200 kph: 8.3 seconds.

Top Speed: 330 kph.

Price: £185,000. (Approximately)

 

Ferrari 296 GTB

Engine: 3.0-litre 120° Twin-turbocharged V6.

Gearbox: 8-speed Dual Clutch Automatic with e-reverse gear.

Power: 829PS @ 8000 rpm.

Torque: 740Nm @ 6250 rpm.

Kerb Weight: 1470 kgs (Dry).

Electric motor: 167PS and 315Nm of torque.

Battery Pack: 7.45 kWh.

EV mode range: 25 kms.

Max. Speed in EV mode: 135 kph.

0-100 kph: 2.9 seconds.

0-200 kph: 7.3 seconds.

Top Speed: 338 kph.

Price: £230,000. (Approximately)

 

Athul Z

Content Creator, MYTYRE.