McLaren Artura vs Chevrolet Corvette

What's the difference?

Obviously the headline item of the new McLaren Artura Spider is the ability to drop the top and feel the wind in your hair, or, should you live in Melbourne, at least the damp mist on your face.

But this new plug-in powerhouse has plenty more to offer than just its folding hardtop.

The coupe and convertible are more powerful, there’s a new and louder exhaust, faster gear shifts, a richer rev range, better suspension and better braking.

Oh, and there's a new feature designed to unlock your inner hooligan, but we’ll come back to that one in just a moment...

But at its core, the Artura Spider is a plug-in hybrid monster that goes someway to previewing the future of the supercar species.

Does electrification enhance the excitement? We strapped in to find out.

For many, Chevrolet’s repositioning of the engine in its Corvette from the nose to behind its passengers was a shock, although Chevy had seemingly been itching to make the shift since showing its XP-880 Astro II concept car close to 60 years ago.

But the idea of an electric motor in ‘America’s Sports Car’ was probably even more confronting.

However, when you add the critical detail that the petrol-electric hybrid E-Ray version of the current C8 Corvette puts out 488kW (655hp) and 806Nm, surely fears the end is nigh for muscle car enthusiasts ebb away.

The C8 ‘Vette has been with us for five years, blurring the line between traditional US-style performance and mid-engine Euro exotics, maintaining good ol' boy naturally aspirated V8 power but locating it between the axles, and in the E-Ray, hooking it up with a chunky electric drive unit up front.

There are potential changes on the horizon, with the even more thunderous Corvette Grand Sport X hybrid lurking in the wings. But right now, this is Chevrolet’s hybrid hero.

Could this cut-price supercar be your next four-wheeled piece of mechanical pride and joy?