McLaren Artura vs 720S — Which McLaren Should You Buy?

The McLaren Artura and 720S represent two distinct generations of McLaren's mid-engine supercar philosophy. The 720S is the established benchmark — a car that arrived in 2017 and immediately redefined what a mid-engine supercar could do, delivering performance and driver engagement that embarrassed cars costing significantly more. The Artura is McLaren's vision of the future — a ground-up new platform, a hybrid powertrain, and a fresh design language that signals where the brand is heading for the next decade.

Both are extraordinary cars. Both carry McLaren's core values — carbon fiber chassis, mid-engine layout, driver-focused dynamics, and a level of performance that places them among the fastest road cars available. But they are fundamentally different machines whose differences go beyond the hybrid versus combustion powertrain distinction that most comparisons focus on.

This guide covers every meaningful dimension of the Artura versus 720S comparison — performance, technology, driving character, ownership, and aftermarket support.

Performance — The Numbers

The McLaren 720S produces 710bhp from its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 — no hybrid assistance, pure combustion power delivered through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the rear wheels. Zero to 62mph in 2.9 seconds. Zero to 124mph in 7.8 seconds. A top speed of 212mph. These are figures that place the 720S firmly in the supercar category by any measure and ones that have been validated by independent testing to be accurate or in some cases conservative.

The McLaren Artura produces 680bhp from its hybrid powertrain — a new 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 producing 585bhp combined with a 94bhp electric motor integrated into the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Zero to 62mph in 3.0 seconds. Zero to 124mph in 8.3 seconds. A top speed of 205mph.

On paper the 720S is the faster car — more power, faster acceleration, higher top speed. The Artura's hybrid system's instant electric torque delivery creates a specific low-speed acceleration character that is impressive in real-world driving, but the 720S's greater total power output means it pulls ahead decisively as speed builds.

The performance gap between the two cars is real but not enormous in everyday driving situations. The Artura's 3.0 seconds to 62mph is fast enough to embarrass virtually any car it will encounter on public roads — the 720S's 2.9 second benchmark is academic in most real-world contexts. Where the performance difference becomes more meaningful is on track, where the 720S's greater power and its more developed aerodynamic downforce creates a measurable advantage over multiple laps.

Technology — Old School vs New Generation

This is where the Artura and 720S differ most fundamentally — not in their performance outcomes but in the engineering philosophy used to achieve them.

The 720S is a more conventional supercar in technology terms. Its twin-turbocharged V8, conventional rear-wheel drive, and McLaren's Proactive Chassis Control hydraulic suspension represent sophisticated engineering that has been refined over the 720S's production life — but it is refinement of established principles rather than the introduction of new ones. The 720S achieves its extraordinary performance through precision and engineering quality rather than technological complexity.

The Artura introduces a level of technological sophistication to McLaren's Sports and Super Series range that the 720S doesn't approach. Its hybrid architecture — including the compact axial flux electric motor integrated into the gearbox, the 7.4kWh battery pack, and the sophisticated energy management system — represents genuine engineering innovation. The Artura can travel up to 19 miles on electric power alone, which transforms its character as a daily driver compared to the 720S's pure combustion setup.

The Artura also introduces a new electronic architecture that is significantly more advanced than the 720S's — featuring over-the-air software updates, more sophisticated driver assistance systems, and a digital interface that feels more contemporary than the 720S's older generation electronics.

For buyers who value technological sophistication and forward-looking engineering, the Artura is unambiguously the more interesting and more future-proof car. For buyers who want the most direct, most analogue supercar experience without hybrid complexity, the 720S's relative simplicity is a deliberate character choice that many enthusiasts find more rewarding.

Design — Evolution vs Revolution

The 720S and Artura share McLaren's core design DNA — dihedral doors, a mid-engine silhouette, and complex aerodynamic surfaces — but their design languages are distinctly different.

The 720S's design is defined by its visual drama. The doors with their integrated front wing vents — a solution unique in the production car world — the fighter-jet canopy glasshouse, the flying buttresses, and the active rear wing create a car that is immediately striking from every angle. The 720S looks like no other car on the road and its design has aged extremely well since its 2017 launch.

The Artura's design is more restrained and more elegant than the 720S. Its cleaner surfaces, its less dramatic glasshouse, and its more resolved overall proportions create a car that is beautiful rather than immediately shocking. The Artura looks like the beginning of a new design direction for McLaren — more refined, more mature, and arguably more timeless than the 720S's more dramatic approach.

Neither design is superior — they serve different aesthetic purposes. The 720S makes an immediate, dramatic impression that is unmistakable from a distance. The Artura rewards closer inspection — its details and proportions reveal themselves gradually in a way that the more immediate 720S does not need to.

From an aftermarket visual modification perspective, both cars respond well to carbon fiber aero additions — but the Artura's cleaner surfaces create slightly different opportunities than the 720S's more complex body. The 720S's existing visual drama means aftermarket additions need to be chosen carefully to complement rather than clash with the factory design's intensity. The Artura's cleaner canvas is more accommodating of a wider range of aero styles.

Driving Character — Where They Really Differ

The driving experience is where the Artura and 720S comparison becomes most nuanced and most subjective.

The 720S is one of the most celebrated driver's cars of the modern era for reasons that go beyond its performance figures. Its Proactive Chassis Control hydraulic suspension — which actively manages body movement in ways that conventional spring and damper setups cannot — creates a ride quality and handling precision combination that remains unmatched in the supercar category. The 720S communicates with its driver with a clarity and intimacy that makes every journey involving regardless of pace. At the limit it is adjustable, playful, and forgiving in equal measure — a car that rewards skill and commitment with a driving experience that is genuinely extraordinary.

The Artura's driving character is different in ways that reflect its new platform and hybrid powertrain. The electric motor's instant torque delivery creates a more immediate throttle response than the 720S at low speeds — the Artura feels more urgent in everyday driving situations where the 720S's twin-turbocharged V8 needs revs to build boost. The Artura's new chassis and suspension setup is excellent — sharp, communicative, and engaging — but it is a newer platform than the 720S whose development has been refined over more production years.

The Artura's electric-only mode creates a driving character that the 720S simply doesn't have. Silent, smooth, and with the immediate torque of the electric motor available without the V6 running — the Artura in electric mode is a completely different vehicle from the 720S in any configuration. Whether this versatility is an advantage depends entirely on how the owner intends to use the car.

For drivers who prioritise the most developed, most communicative, and most immediately rewarding driving experience, the 720S's longer development history and more focused character make it the stronger choice. For drivers who want a more versatile, more technologically sophisticated, and more forward-looking car, the Artura makes a compelling case.

Ownership Experience

The ownership experience of the Artura and 720S differs in several practical ways that are relevant to prospective buyers.

The 720S is a more mature ownership proposition. It has been in production since 2017 and the McLaren dealer network and specialist community have deep knowledge of the platform — its maintenance requirements, common issues, and long-term ownership costs are well-understood. The 720S's conventional powertrain means servicing is more straightforward than a hybrid system and the range of independent McLaren specialists who can work on it is wider.

The Artura is a newer platform whose long-term ownership characteristics are still being established. Its hybrid system creates ownership considerations that the 720S doesn't have — the battery pack's long-term degradation characteristics, the complexity of the hybrid system's integration with the V6, and the importance of using McLaren's specific diagnostic equipment for hybrid system work all add dimensions to Artura ownership that 720S owners don't face.

The Artura's over-the-air update capability is a genuine ownership advantage — software improvements and feature additions can be delivered without a dealer visit, which keeps the car's technology current in a way that the 720S's older electronic architecture cannot match.

Aftermarket Support — Parts and Upgrades

The aftermarket situation for the Artura and 720S reflects their respective ages and complexity levels.

The 720S has a comprehensive and well-developed aftermarket. Carbon fiber aero options, exhaust systems, suspension upgrades, and wheel choices are all widely available with validated fitment. The tuning knowledge around the 720S's twin-turbocharged V8 is mature — exhaust and tune packages are well-documented and the results are predictable and well-validated.

The Artura's aftermarket is newer and still developing. The hybrid system's complexity means exhaust modifications require hybrid-aware ECU calibration that standard tuners cannot provide — specialist Artura exhaust and tune packages are emerging but the range of validated options is narrower than for the 720S. Aero parts for the Artura are being developed by quality manufacturers with specific Artura tooling — but the breadth of options currently available is less than for the established 720S platform.

For buyers who plan to modify their car significantly from the outset, the 720S's more mature and comprehensive aftermarket is a practical advantage. For buyers who are less focused on immediate aftermarket modification and more interested in the car's factory character and long-term potential, the Artura's developing aftermarket is not a significant concern — it will expand rapidly as the platform matures.

Browse our full McLaren Artura collection and McLaren 720S collection at Velocity Performance Parts — all parts verified for fitment and backed by our guarantee.

Which Should You Choose?

The honest answer depends on what you want from the car and how you intend to use it.

Choose the McLaren 720S if you want the most developed, most communicative, and most immediately rewarding supercar driving experience currently available at this price point. If the 720S's visual drama appeals to you, if rear-wheel drive adjustability and the V8's acoustic character are priorities, and if a more mature aftermarket and straightforward ownership experience matter alongside the extraordinary performance — the 720S is the right choice.

Choose the McLaren Artura if you want a more technologically sophisticated and more forward-looking supercar that reflects where McLaren is heading for the next decade. If the hybrid system's versatility — electric-only running, instant torque delivery, over-the-air updates — appeals to your lifestyle, if the Artura's more refined design language suits your aesthetic, and if you want to be at the beginning of a new McLaren chapter rather than the culmination of the previous one — the Artura is the right choice.

Both are extraordinary cars. Both deserve their place in our catalog. And whichever you choose, Velocity Performance Parts has the aftermarket support to make it your own.