MotorWeek

Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

We're kicking up the hybrid heat in the McLaren Artura... Audra Fordin has a master plan for adding the right tools to your home garage... Greg Carloss takes a pause to appreciate the art of Bugatti... Then, we'll drive towards the future in the re-imagined Acura ZDX...

So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: McLaren has a long history of racetrack success, but in a relatively short period of time, McLaren has also gone from a niche street car maker to a major player in the supercar segment.

Their next step is this Artura, the brand's next-gen high performance hybrid supercar!

This is the McLaren Artura, truly the next step for this British brand that's all about the performance, as it is literally all they do.

More specifically, it's the 2025 Artura Spider, the retractable hardtop version of the mid-engine plug-in high-performance coupe that arrived two years ago.

(car whooshing by) But, in addition to being the brand's first high-performance hybrid convertible, it brings a host of performance-related updates, most of which get applied to the Artura Coupe as well.

More power is usually our favorite update, so we'll start there.

The Artura mates a 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 gas engine with a 70 kilowatt electric motor.

The total output is 690 horsepower, which is up 19 from when the Artura debuted.

But unlike some high-performance hybrids that use electric motors to power the front wheels, McLaren's electric motor is tucked in the same housing as the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, sending the total 531 pound-feet of torque strictly to the rear wheels.

(car revving by) A 7.4 kilowatt hour battery enables up to 11 miles of EV driving, same as in the coupe; and with no reverse gear in the transmission, the battery powers all backups.

That transmission is recalibrated too, providing gear changes 25 percent quicker than before.

McLaren claims it all works together to deliver a 0-60 time of 3.0 seconds flat, also same as the coupe, as the power folding hardtop assembly only adds about 100 pounds of weight.

Lightweight performance is one British tradition we can get behind and taking in some laps during January at Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, Georgia is a MotorWeek tradition that lives on.

Unfortunately, we were joined by some very untraditional snowy weather this year, which limited our track days.

(car whooshing by) But it didn't take many laps for us to get comfortable in the Artura.

We're not race car drivers, but we do play them on TV, and in a car that feels this compact and literally wrapped around you, when you reach that point in most cars where you sense an urgent need to back it down, the Artura just grips, rips, and urges you to push on harder.

The throttle response is as immediate as it gets, the engine loves to rev, and with the optional Sport Exhaust, it sounds fantastic while delivering the mind-melting performance.

(swishy brush/water sounds) Driver engagement aspects of the car get upgraded too, courtesy of stiffer powertrain mounts and heightened response from the Proactive Damping Control suspension system.

(car revving by) There are multiple levels of stability control intervention including full off, as well as Variable Drift Control, which lets you have some sideways fun without worrying about balling up your crazy-expensive supercar.

Lightness doesn't mean a lack of stability here, but it surely helps with braking performance, as it is borderline otherworldly when the forged aluminum calipers clamp down hard on the carbon ceramic discs, making you feel like a hero with your late braking shenanigans.

But ultimately, it was the snow that brought us to a full stop, which allowed us extra time to take in the Artura Spider's gorgeous lines.

Body panels are so tight, it looks like there's one piece of Ventura Orange shrink-wrap holding it all together.

McLaren does everything fast, and that includes folding the hardtop, which happens in just 11 seconds.

While unique, there are familiar elements to the interior, but the Artura's evolution has created a more cohesive design.

And much like the outside, it's very fluid-like in the way panels and components flow into one another.

(engine revs) Being a Plug-in Hybrid the Artura Spider has Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 45 Combined MPGe and 19 Combined strictly with the gas engine.

And after singing all of that praise, we now get to pricing and inform you that the Artura remains McLaren's entry-level model, with the Spider starting at just $278,800, about 25 grand more than the Coupe.

With the 2025 Artura Spider, McLaren has done much more than just incorporate a removable roof into their next-gen hybrid supercar.

They used it as an excuse to complete a system wide upgrade, essentially creating Artura 2.0.

It's also their best car yet, seamlessly integrating electric power into a fantastic open-air driving experience and pointing to more great things to come from McLaren.

"Form follows function" is a principle of architectural design from around the turn of the 20th century, which is about the same time Ettore Bugatti began designing and building automobiles.

And this week our "Over the Edge" guy, Greg Carloss finds himself at the intersection of form and function for a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition going on at a Maryland museum.

GREG CARLOSS: I appreciate works of art as much as the next person, especially when it comes to cars...though, if I'm being honest, if I can't touch it or drive it, I lose interest pretty quick.

But when I heard about this rare Bugatti exhibit, well, I made an exception.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Well, this beholder believes these Bugattis are beauties.

And so do the folks at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland.

LEE GLAZER: The exhibition "Bugatti: Reaching for Perfection" explores the multi-generational ambition and creativity of the Bugatti family... GREG: Most people know of the French automobile company founded by Ettore Bugatti in 1909.

But it turns out, the Bugatti family was brimming with artists.

LEE GLAZER: And the patriarch, Carlo went to art school and actually trained to be an architect, but he found himself much more interested in furniture design.

And the younger son, Rembrandt, actually the parents named him Rembrandt but they thought he was going to become an Engineer.

But defying expectations he became a sculptor.

GREG: Carlo and Rembrandt's works are thoughtfully displayed throughout the exhibit complementing Ettore's cars, which include two Grand Prixs; a Type 39A and a Type 45 as well as two Type 57s.

DAVID NORTH: Bugatti built about 9,000 cars, so of those 9,000 cars there's probably a thousand left.

Um, the little aluminum Type 39 behind me there were only 14 of those built.

The 16-cylinder Bugatti behind me, there were only two built by the factory, there were enough parts built for five...this particular car has engine number five in it.

It is one of two in the world that run.

GREG: David North restores plenty of rare cars, but Bugatti's hold a special place in his heart.

DAVID: You have sort of in my mind the best of both worlds.

You've got these exotic, fussy engines and chassis and you have these beautifully sculpted bodies too, and the combination is pretty hard to beat.

GREG: As with most museums, you can't touch the art, but you can listen.

(engine revving) And you recorded this from this car?

DAVID: Yeah, yeah, we did it right in the cabin.

GREG: My ears are drawn to the Type 45, but my eyes turn to the Type 39.

DAVID: Bugatti's were Blue, and so when we stripped the paint we found that the handiwork of the aluminum was just terrific...

So we wanted to show it and rather than cover it in paint we decided to polish it.

GREG: Speaking of polished, these Type 57s designed by Ettore's son Jean were the epitome of luxury in the 30s.

This Atalante actually helped a Bugatti Racing driver escape the Nazis in 1940, which is why much of its imperfect character remains.

But each of the other cars underwent more extensive restoration in David's North Street Garage just a few blocks from the Academy Art Museum.

DAVID: Greg, this is where the action happens.

This is the magic that we do.

GREG: That magic usually involves preserving these unique marks, which were hand-scraped into every Bugatti engine by its builder.

Sort of like their signature.

DAVID: Rather than sand it all off and re-mark it, we chose to leave this original signature there.

GREG: Prepping all these cars for display was just business as usual for David.

The hard part was actually getting them into this space, although some cars were easier than others.

LEE: The owners had to custom design some skates.

They were carefully brought through the gallery, the Atlantic had about a quarter-inch on either side, but as you see, it all worked and it worked beautifully and we now know that we can get them out since we got them in.

GREG: The cars will be heading out soon as the exhibition closes on April 13th.

So, whether you're a car nut or an art nut, it's definitely worth checking out before they're gone.

JOHN: So, you're ready to take on that DIY garage project.

Why not start with outfitting your garage with the right tools?

Our Audra Fordin has the rundown on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

AUDRA FORDIN: You don't need to spend a fortune or own a Garage Majal to make a safe and functional automotive workspace in your home garage.

Basic tools and equipment, along with some organization aids and a little common sense, will have you spinning wrenches at home in no time.

A sturdy work bench will save your back when assembling things or cleaning parts, and a bench vise is that third hand you need for countless jobs around the car.

Traditionally, the real "DIY master" in every neighborhood was the one who had a lift in their garage.

Well, that's a dream for most of us, but realistically, there's not many jobs you can't do with a floor jack and 4 sturdy jack stands.

Disclaimer here... Never work under a car that's supported by only a floor jack.

Ramps like these are great at making space under the car for a quick oil change or inspection, but you should always use a wheel chock behind the down tire to keep the car from rolling down the ramp at the wrong time.

An air compressor is useful, and not just for airing up tires.

Running air tools like sanders, impact wrenches, grinders, and sand blasters require a large volume of compressed air.

These days, though, battery powered tools offer you a great alternative for most home users.

Invest in a hose reel like this for electrical cords.

It can save you from coiling a cord every time, keep your hoses off the floor, out of the grease and it also removes a common tripping hazard.

Task lighting is important, if you want a well-lit room to work in, but also specialty lights like these make it easy to see inside those dark engine bays undercar areas, and well...magnetic lights are a definitely plus too.

It's important to keep all automotive chemicals out of reach of children and pets, so wall cabinets or high shelves there are a must.

And here's another organization tip for you that I love: if you're working on a restoration project or something involving a lot of small parts, nuts, and screws...

Bag and label everything.

And take "before" pictures before you disassemble a component, so you can know where everything goes when it's time to re-assemble.

Dare to DIY!

For most any job you want to do on your car, search online and chances are you will find user videos and owner forum discussions describing the exact task you want to accomplish.

Have any questions or comments?

Reach out to us right here at Motorweek .

JOHN: Time for us to grab the key fobs and buckle up for this week's QuickSpin!

JESSICA RAY: You might think flying all the way to Finland for a First Drive is a bit excessive, but the snow-covered landscape and ice-coated roads were just what we needed to discover the all-wheel-drive limits of the refreshed 2025 Porsche Taycan 4.

This battery-electric's mission is to combine the better handling of four-corner power delivery with the efficiency of the rear-wheel drive entry-level model.

Each axle receives an electric motor; the rear unit is 80 kilowatts more powerful, and the front electric motor remains dormant until called upon, switching on in milliseconds.

DAVE SCRIVENER: What better spot to try out an all-wheel-drive car than Porsche's Arctic Center in Levi, Finland, where we're here trying out the Taycan 4 for the first time, and learning some car control tactics, how to use the throttle and brakes judiciously, let the all-wheel-drive system do the work for you... how to balance the car, not be too aggressive.

It really is a lesson in patience.

You think you wanna do one thing, but it's easy to over-throttle, over-brake, but the all-wheel-drive system is just amazing, how these cars can actually handle this slick terrain and increase the traction circle...through technology.

If the car will pass these extreme tests, imagine what it will do on your normal snowy commute to work at home... probably wouldn't drive like this, but know that you could.

JESSICA: An 82.3 kilowatt hour Performance battery is standard, upgradable to a 97 kilowatt hour Performance Battery Plus.

Naturally, selection will dictate range, estimated between 260 and 310 miles.

The standard battery provides enough juice for 402 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, the Performance Plus kicking that up to 429 horses and up to 449 pound-feet with launch control.

As for ride and chassis, Porsche's Adaptive Air Suspension and Active Suspension Management are standard.

In our case, the 19 inch aero wheels were wrapped by factory-optional Michelin winter tires.

The 2025 Porsche Taycan 4 starts at just over $105,000, about 4-grand over the two-wheel-drive base model.

Available for ordering now, the 4 is expected to become the Taycan lineup's sales volume leader.

Only time will tell.

And in the meantime, we'll have more QuickSpins...soon!

GREG: While, warmer weather is starting to arrive here in the Mid-Atlantic, our 2024 Subaru Solterra's dual motor all-wheel-drive got us through 3,000 miles of winter weather without incident.

Modest power numbers are typical for Subaru, and the Solterra's 215 horsepower rating appears totally on brand.

But if you're coming out of a Crosstrek, hold onto your granola bar when you nail the throttle here.

No waiting around for a CVT to figure out what it's doing, this thing just takes off, allowing you to merge easily, or just have a little fun.

This Solterra is a perfect example of a car being more than what it is on paper and it's actually pretty decent on paper too, because its 249 pound-feet of torque is just shy of the WRX we just track tested and the torque is delivered almost instantly, so it feels faster than that torque number suggests.

The Solterra debuted for 2023, but with the arrival of the '24 model year, Subaru made a few updates, chief of which is improved battery conditioning which allows for faster charging, especially in cold weather.

But that's not all, the steering wheel has been updated with new paddle switches for adjusting regen braking, roof rails are now standard, and EyeSight driver assistance gets upgraded with new features.

It'll be time for some updates of our own, with the latest on our Fiat 500e, on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

JOHN: This Acura ZDX may look just like every other Acura, but that's far from the case.

This is actually the brand's first all-electric vehicle.

And that's just the tip of this electronic iceberg, as there's plenty more to discover beneath the surface.

So, join us for a deep dive into some unchartered waters.

The Acura ZDX is the brand's first full battery-electric vehicle, and Acura took a long, and winding road to get here.

It started off in Detroit where GM's Ultium platform was born.

Honda struck a deal to make use of it for their Prologue SUV and developed this Acurafied version right along with it.

Base A Spec comes standard with a single 358 horsepower rear motor, or you can step up to a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with 490 horsepower.

This Type S cranks up the horsepower a bit to 499 but more impressively winds up an additional 107 pound-feet of torque for a total of 544; that's 52 pound-feet more than the last NSX supercar.

All versions share the same 102 kilowatt hour battery, meaning a max range of 313 miles in the A-Spec.

That drops to 278 here in our Type S tester, though in our driving loop, we were on pace for 295 miles.

190 kilowatt max fast charging feeds enough juice to get you to 80 percent charge in 42 minutes.

And using 43 kilowatt hour of electricity per 100 miles, the Type S earns a fair efficiency rating.

Regen braking may not have as many levels of adjustment as some EVS, but full one-pedal driving is available, along with a regen-on-demand brake paddle on the back of the steering wheel.

The Type S gets a host of additional upgrades dedicated to improving performance: bigger stabilizer bars front and rear, quicker steering ratios, 22 inch wheels, and an adaptive air suspension that keep the ride pleasant even with those 22s.

Summer tires are also available.

Not sure if it speaks to the Acura's overall refinement, or if we're just getting used to launching crazy fast EVs, but the ZDX didn't feel particularly strong off the line, yet when we looked at the numbers, we were racing to 60 in just 4.5 seconds.

No drop off in power though the quarter-mile.

ZDX is consistent and fast; silently streaking to the end of the track in 12.9 seconds at 110 miles per hour.

As with all EVs, there's substantial weight to deal with, here about 3.0 tons, but its distributed equally front to back, and it felt extremely smooth through our handling course.

The very light steering and aggressive stability control took some getting used to, but after a few runs we were able to find a good pace that kept everything happy, including us as there was very little body roll in the ZDX.

Type S gets Brembo brakes up front, and in our panic braking runs, there was a very aggressive initial bite, and despite the weight, brought things to a quick stop in a short 102 feet from 60 miles per hour.

Inside, a sharp-looking digital instrument cluster is joined by an 11.3 inch color touchscreen display, small by today's standards, but well integrated, and with Google built in, operation is very familiar.

All ZDXs come with Perforated Milano leather seating.

Type S upgrades with Microsuede inserts.

It also adds a unique steering wheel, brushed aluminum trim, lots of logos, and it is the first Acura to get a Bang + Olufsen audio system.

Small item storage is plentiful up front, and rear cargo capacity is 28.7 cubic-feet; expanding to 62.0 with the rear seatbacks folded; that's closer to RDX than MDX.

Back seat passengers get a great experience, with plenty of room all around, heated seats, climate controls, and charging for their electronics.

Despite starting off with the GM chassis, Acura designers clearly crafted a vehicle that looks every bit an Acura.

It's long, low, and wide with a modernized take on Acura's shield grille leading the way.

A-Spec pricing starts at $65,850, Type S goes for $74,850; both versions are currently still available for full federal tax credits.

You may remember the first Acura ZDX, a coupe-style SUV that came and went in the early 2010s.

This is not that ZDX, but it's certainly just as forward thinking; better timed and much better looking too.

The Acura ZDX is a very well executed first step into the world of electrification.

And we have no problems with them getting a little help from GM to get things started, as the Ultium platform has spawned some fantastic EVs.

But, at the same time, we do look forward to what Acura's next and perhaps far more important step will be.

Well, that's our show, I hope you enjoyed it.

Now, for more MotorWeek , including daily news updates, podcasts, and even complete episodes, cruise on over to PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

And I hope you'll join us next time for an updated flight plan in the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, plus, the latest Land Rover Ranger Rover Evoque.

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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