But this particular Artura is the real deal, or at least it needs to be. Unlike the launch cars, it’s no pre-production prototype but a customer-specification one for which no excuse should be needed or made – nicely run in, on the button, ready to go.
And for the next few months, through weather fair and most likely foul, it’s going to be my daily driver.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited by the prospect. I know we should be all gimlet-eyed over such things, but if you can manage that when someone lobs you the keys to a sub-1500kg, 671bhp supercar and doesn’t want them back for a while, it’s possible that you’re in the wrong line of work – or play.
I could have had a lot more say in its specification, but so busy is McLaren filling existing orders that a new car wouldn’t have arrived until the summer, and while I might enjoy it even more then, I don’t think anyone wants to wait any longer – and besides, a cold, wet winter is a far sterner challenge. If it can prove itself to be an all-season, all-reason kind of supercar, that will be a potent point in its favour.
All I asked for was a car with comfort seats, because I intend to drive it a long way, and a nose lift to enable it to get down my drive. What turned up was a car with an option spend of over £30,000, which may sound a lot but which I expect is fairly typical, perhaps even slightly modest.