You know that when you install a new game, you will be asked what level you want to start at. Do you need the entire proposed racing line, all the traction control and braking assistance so you don't end up drilling into every virtual wall at every opportunity? Okay, this is the time to admit that you always overestimate your own skills and have to shamefully adjust the settings after a few turns, just to call in a few helpers here and there. We get it. We do exactly the same.
However, none of that is the case here. Not just because the barriers on the Gotlandring are very, very real and are located particularly close to the edges of the circuit, especially on the treacherous old part of this track. No, I'm going to do this right and steadily work my way up the Ladder of Cunning, step by step.
Our three levels have come to life in the form of the Toyota GR86 (Beginners), the Lotus Emira I4 (Advanced) and the McLaren Artura (Specialists). With power outputs of 235, 364 and 680 hp respectively, each participant represents a significant step up compared to its predecessor. Unfortunately, this also applies to the price tags.
The prices of the Toyota GR86, Lotus Emira and McLaren Artura
The Toyota is the most expensive, at 70,695 euros (34,600 euros in Belgium, and yes, make a note of that difference). The Emira, with its Mercedes engine, is quite a bit more expensive than we expected (115,009 euros in the Netherlands, 97,625 euros with our southern neighbors), especially because ours is a First Edition with added Black Pack. The plug-in hybrid Artura starts at 235,500 euros (1,500 euros less in Belgium), but it aims for another 35k with the installed extras. Ouch.
Well, we'll start at the beginning. You know the story of the GR86 by now: it is the second child of the marriage between Toyota and Subaru, after the brilliant but power and torque-deficient GT86. Toyota kept us waiting for its return to the world of rear-wheel drive sports cars and then limited the number of GRs when it finally arrived. But if you can get one, you probably have the ultimate sports car for beginners.
What makes the GR86 the best sports car for starters?
The power (35 hp more than you got in the old GT86) comes from a naturally breathing 2.4-liter four-cylinder boxer engine and is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. Quite retro, but that only makes it better. A sprint to 100 km/h takes 6.3 seconds, which is certainly not super fast, but that also means you have time to work on your lines, your footwork and your excuses when newbiedriver. In essence, it is a perfect tool for practice.
Negatives? Well, aside from the fact that you can hardly get it, the interior is still a collection of cheap plastics and screens with Sega Mega Drive graphics. On the other hand: at least you still get enough normal buttons and everything is pretty much where you expect it to be. However, the GR86 looks very ordinary in this group.
Level 2 is already a bit more expensive, but that is justifiable
If we are talking about appearance: the Lotus Emira seems precious. That's okay, especially considering its hefty price, but especially in real life it's a fantastic thing to look at. That attitude that only a mid-engine car can have, that roof in a different color, those artistic side mirrors.
The interior also feels impressively rich, with lots of Alcantara, real metal and some simple graphics in black and white on the 10.25-inch touchscreen. It is a shame that the steering wheel has a stupid shape, the seats are too soft and the 'gear lever' is a nightmare to operate.
Still, with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder M139 turbo engine from the AMG A-class and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, our advanced car has the drivetrain of a baby supercar. It is 12 kilos lighter than the V6 with manual gearbox and a 0-100 is done within 4.4 seconds. No one will have anything to complain about the top speed of 275 km/h and the soundtrack is supported by some wonderful howling from the turbo.
The hydraulic steering is much sharper and gives more feedback than that of the Toyota, it has a lot of grip and an electronic differential on the rear axle helps it to carry much higher speeds through corners. The I4 benefits from the slightly firmer settings of the sports suspension. Although it has less power than the V6, the four-cylinder is mounted closer to the center of the car, making its movements slightly more direct.
And what a pity it is that the engine is not as crazy as in the A 45 S, where it strains every nerve to squeeze out 421 hp and it needs a straitjacket rather than engine mounts. In its four-cylinder form you can easily forget the Emira in this group. The fantastic chassis is let down by an engine that strangely enough has character and bite is lacking.
The specifications of the highest level, the McLaren Artura
For those looking for directness, the Artura is the destination. Despite its combination of a 3.0-liter V6 with two turbos, an electric motor, a 7.8 kWh battery pack and adaptive dampers, the plug-in hybrid McLaren weighs only 1,498 kilos, with fluids and fuel and all – less than 100 kilos more than the Emira.
That's largely thanks to that flashy carbon fiber fairing, of course. Combine that with 680 hp and 720 Nm, and you understand that the Artura does not lack a sense of urgency. In addition, because the electric motor fills the gaps that the turbo occasionally leaves, there is always a lot of power available.
New engine, but the same McLaren feeling
The powertrain is a good choice for McLaren new age the hydraulic steering is well-known territory. It lets you know exactly what's happening, which – in combination with a huge amount of grip – gives you loads of confidence, even when you think you might be playing a little above your level in that almost 700 hp strong, rear-wheel drive supercar.
The folks at Woking have decided to forego regenerative braking altogether, and the standard carbon-ceramic discs reign supreme on the track. The eight-speed automatic transmission shifts with the speed of a whip, as you would expect, and the electronic differential gives the Artura a surprisingly friendly character. In fact, the most important lesson from this somewhat strangely composed test is that the McLaren is best able to satisfy beginners as well as advanced and specialists.
The Artura is actually every level in one car
He is happy to give you a helping hand. You have access to different modes for the chassis and drivetrain to gradually take yourself to the next level, plus a separate Dynamic mode for the ESP that allows a little more leeway, while the electronic insurance policy is still in force. With that mode activated you can again choose from a number of Drift Control settings, where you can determine the maximum drift angle. And once you are bursting with self-confidence, you can of course switch everything off completely.
But why on earth did McLaren send this particular Artura to the biggest gathering of supercars in 2023? In Onyx Black and with an equally boring interior, this example lacks any form of visual drama. Okay, the doors open upwards and the chimney spewing heat from the engine compartment outwards is exciting for those you just passed.
But bystanders continued to think that the Emira was the most expensive car of this trio. This is a supercar – spray it in Papaya Orange and hang lots of carbon fiber aero stuff on it, and maybe, just maybe, we can forget for a moment that the Ferrari 296 GTB came a year earlier and this McLaren too on almost every front gives him a kick in the ass.
Which sports car is the best?
Well, apart from all the price and performance differences, all three of these cars are a joy to drive on a track, with the Toyota perhaps being the most fun – and that for one of the more affordable cars at this Speed Week. But will any of these guys stand out enough to walk away with the top prize? I'm not so sure…
#Toyota #GR86 #Lotus #Emira #McLaren #Artura #review #sports #car #fun