Sometimes when an automaker introduces a new vehicle, the word “new” does some seriously heavy lifting. In spite of its recognizable exterior, the McLaren Artura is about as new as a car can be. I’d wager the dichotomy of the familiar styling and all the newness it conceals isn’t coincidental.

While the Artura is far from McLaren’s first hybrid — that’d be the P1 — it is the brand’s first hybrid designed for series production. It’s also the Woking-based manufacturer’s first modern vehicle without the familiar twin-turbo V8 that traces its inception back to Nissan’s late-’90s GT racing program. The Artura heralds so many changes, even its very moniker marks a new precedent. Real names with vowels were previously only given to the company’s most exclusive, Ultimate-series creations.

Had I known none of this, I’d probably glance at the Artura and chalk it up as another refinement of the same formula that’s guided every McLaren from the MP4-12C to the 765LT. I was actually a little worried about that when we got our first peek at the supercar’s silhouette two years ago. Having now driven it, I find the familiarity comforting — a reminder that, while plenty has changed, McLaren hasn’t lost the plot.

Full disclosure: McLaren flew me to Las Vegas, put me up at the Wynn for two nights and treated me to some very nice meals before giving me the keys to an orange Artura to cruise around lower Nevada. Between you and me, that…