McLaren’s quest for innovation with its much-anticipated Artura hybrid supercar has been punctuated by a number of formidable challenges. Yet, in the face of these hurdles, the company’s CEO, Michael Leiters, displays an unwavering commitment to rectify existing complications and prioritize product maturity.
In a display of remarkable candor, Leiters admitted in a December interview, “We saw that the car wasn’t mature, so we stopped deliveries. We already had a significant delay in our production line at the time and we reduced [production] to zero [cars] a day to fix our quality problems.”
Despite the actions taken, the Artura continues to grapple with the specter of its past shortcomings. As Automotive News revealed, a company memo sent to McLaren’s U.S. dealers detailed a four-month extension in delivery times for customer orders. McLaren spokesperson Roger Ormisher confirmed the contents of the memo, stating that some vehicles initially slated for May delivery are now rescheduled for September.
The underlying cause for the delay is associated with the integration of “enhanced testing procedures.” The Woking-based manufacturer of high-performance vehicles aspires to include “additional checks and testing in our quality control procedure.” To accommodate these rigorous tests, production has been decelerated.
So far, 164 units of Artura have been called back owing to a potential fire risk arising from the loosening of nuts on the high-pressure fuel pipe. Software glitches and Covid-19 related supply chain disruptions further postponed the launch of this electrified supercar. An incident of a test car catching fire on Spain’s Ascari circuit added to Artura’s growing list of issues.
On taking the helm, Leiters lamented that some past models had been introduced as “non-mature products,” thus threatening the company’s financial health. He conceded that the Artura needed substantial “technical upgrades,” which has now resulted in longer wait times for customers.
As McLaren intensifies its efforts to address these quality concerns, those eagerly awaiting their Artura will need to bear with an extended waiting period. This uncompromising pursuit of quality and performance emphasizes McLaren’s commitment to its values, a steadfast dedication that should pave the way for a more seamless Artura journey ahead.
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