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McLaren's first series-produced hybrid model will be called Artura

McLaren's first hybrid, the P1, arrived in 2012 as an acclaimed, epoch-shaping hypercar built in strictly limited numbers. This bodes well for the Artura, the British manufacturer's first series-produced gasoline-electric car. Expected in showrooms in 2021, the Artura is marketed as the first model in a new range of cars named High-Performance Hybrid (HPH). It's built on an architecture developed specifically for electrification, and it's primarily powered by a new twin-turbocharged V6 engine. Performance specifications haven't been released yet; all we know is that the car delivers V8-like performance while giving users the ability to drive exclusively on electricity. British magazine Autocar believes the Artura's plug-in hybrid drivetrain will consist of the aforementioned V6, at least two electric motors, and a relatively compact lithium-ion battery pack. It adds that the system's full output will be channeled to the rear wheels. In contrast, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale relies on a system that places two of the three motors over the front axle to zap the front wheels, giving the car through-the-road all-wheel-drive. Hybrid technology is heavy, and weight is the sworn enemy of performance, but McLaren stressed it went to great lengths to offset as much of the system's weight as possible. It built the Artua's architecture using carbon fiber, and it explained it applied unspecified weight-saving techniques to the chassis, the body, and the powertrain. Preview images released by McLaren suggests the Artura won't attempt to conceal the internal combustion part of its powertrain. Its rear end is dominated by a cooling grille and a pair of round exhaust tips. It still wears the proportions of a mid-engined supercar, and it's recognizable as a McLaren, but its design remains under wraps. McLaren will begin delivering the Artura globally during the first half of 2021, meaning that we could see it before the end of 2020, and that it might be labeled a 2022 model when it arrives in the United States. And, unlike the P1 and the Speedtail, it will arrive as a regular-production model. Pricing hasn't been released yet, however. Related Video:

McLaren Senna GTR Concept gets racy in Geneva

The McLaren Senna GTR Concept storms its way into the Geneva Motor Show with one very bold claim attached to it: Outside of the British company's Formula One cars, this $1.4-million-dollar supercar is the fastest way around a racetrack in a car with the McLaren badge on it. This is especially big news from a manufacturer that targets the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Bugatti; not to mention that McLaren already has legendary exotic cars like the F1 and P1 on its automotive resume. Based on the recently introduced Senna road car, the Senna GTR delivers more horsepower, more aerodynamic grip, and even more exclusivity. McLaren has promised that the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 will produce a minimum of 813 horsepower in the Senna GTR, versus the 789 hp found in the road-going variant. The enormous rear diffuser, towering spoiler, and snow-plow-like front splitter aren't just there for show, either. The highly sculpted carbon fiber bodywork delivers upward of 2,200 pounds of downforce at speed. Much of the body is fitted with quick-release catches, making it easier to replace fenders and other exterior pieces during the heat of competition. The Senna GTR also rides on a special set of lightweight, 11-spoke alloy wheels. Combined with a revised double wishbone suspension, Pirelli racing slick tires, and a race-style transmission, the Senna GTR will "post the quickest McLaren circuit lap times outside Formula 1," according to McLaren's press release. That headline-grabbing claim probably won't stand for much longer, however. It's an open secret that McLaren is hard at work on road and race versions of the cryptically-named BP23, the firm's "hyper-GT" that pays homage to the original F1 supercar, produced from 1992-1998. "The track-only McLaren Senna GTR will have more power, more grip and more downforce – up to 1,000 kilograms – than the McLaren Senna and post even faster lap times," said Mike Flewitt, McLaren Automotive CEO. "The very limited number of customers who secure this car will be buying the closest experience you can get to a race car without actually lining up on a circuit grid." Interestingly, about the only thing this race-focused McLaren doesn't offer is the means to drive it on public roads – this is a track-only speed machine. Then again, if you can afford the roughly $1.4-million price and manage to snag one of the 75 scheduled to be built, commissioning the build of your own private racetrack probably isn't out of the question.

McLaren-Honda goes 8-bit in Turbo Heroes

Formula One is all about speeding forward, but it's not without its spats of nostalgia – from retro liveries to a return to turbo power. Take, for example, this latest animated short from the McLaren-Honda team. It's called Turbo Heroes, and it sends us back to the days of our childhood in the 1980s and 90s in glorious 8-bit form. Part Street Fighter and part Aryton Senna's Super Monaco Grand Prix, Turbo Heroes is a game-style video short – the start to a series from the looks of things. It portrays an epic battle in which basic animated versions of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso (coached by a grumpy Ron Dennis, no less) chase the evil Exhaustus in a race to recover the fabled (and equally fictitious) Jade Dragon of Suzuka to its rightful home in Japan. It's brought to you by the same team responsible for the Tooned series that was targeted at today's kids, only this one takes a decidedly different aesthetic approach. If you grew up around the same time as many of us here at Autoblog did, and got a kick out of films like Kung Fury and Scott Pilgrim vs The World, you'll probably enjoy this one. So put on your snapback, grab a can of Jolt Cola, and crank the ghetto blaster you've got hooked up to that Nintendo Entertainment System for a high-speed race down memory lane. You don't even have to blow in the cartridge.