McMurtry Spéirling
Overview
ManufacturerMcMurtry Automotive
Production2021
DesignerAndries van Overbeeke[1]
Body and chassis
ClassSports prototype
Body styleFastback
LayoutRR
Powertrain
Electric motorTwin motors
Power output746 kW (1,000 hp)[2]
Battery60 kWh (800 V, 75 Ah)[3]
Electric range>483 km (300 mi) (WLTP) [4]
Plug-in charging600 kW
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,000 mm (78.7 in)
Length3,400 mm (133.9 in)
Width1,500 mm (59.1 in)
Height1,050 mm (41.3 in)
Curb weightUnder 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)

The McMurtry Spéirling is a record breaking[5] electric single-seat prototype car which was first presented at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2021. The car is developed by McMurtry Automotive, a British registered startup founded on June 2, 2016, by Sir David McMurtry (co-founder and executive chairman of Renishaw plc).[6][7] "Spéirling" is Irish for "thunderstorm".[8]

History

According to McMurtry, the motivation behind the car was to challenge the industry trend of increasingly heavier vehicles and, by using first principles design, create a lightweight electric drivers car. The prototype car is the first step to demonstrate what customers will experience on road and track.[9] It is not currently in a racing series but is built to satisfy relevant motorsport safety requirements, with crash structures and a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis with integral rollover protection. Its unique performance differentiator is the fan powered downforce system, giving 2,000 kg of downforce from 0 mph.[10]

The car was first presented at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 8–11 July 2021, and driven by Derek Bell. The car had been developed in secrecy over three years.

On 26 June 2022, the Spéirling achieved a new Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb record, completing the 1.87-kilometre (1.16 mi) course in 39.08 seconds with McMurtry test driver Max Chilton behind the wheel.[11][12]

In December 2022, it claimed the record for the quickest accelerating road car using independent GPS timing with the following times without rollout by Mat Watson from carwow on Silverstone:[13]

  • 0-60 mph in 1.40s
  • 0-100 mph in 2.63s
  • 0-145 mph in 4.98s
  • ¼ mile (400m) in 7.97s

When considering the 1/4 mile time, it's worth noting that the car was electronically limited to a 150 mph top speed for roughly the last 3 seconds of the run.[14] The car also ran on bespoke drag slicks and was not a production car model.[15]

Specifications

McMurtry has not published mass and power figures, but are confident that the car will weigh below 1000 kg and have a mass to power ratio of at least 746 kW per 1000 kg (1 horsepower per kilogram/2.2 pounds per horsepower). The manufacturer claims that this will be sufficient for the car to accelerate from zero to 300 km/h (190 mph) in 9 seconds, as well as reach an estimated top speed above 320 km/h (200 mph). Estimated driving time on a race track at a GT4 pace is about 25 minutes.[9]

The car has rear-wheel drive using two electric motors placed inside a specially designed "e-axle",[6] and uses carbon brakes. The monocoque has room for a driver between 150 and 200 cm (4.9 and 6.6 ft) tall. The battery is integrated into a separate safety cell inside the monocoque.

Active downforce

A special design aspect of the car is its active downforce system without the use of large splitters or wings, by means of twin fans which provide an extra 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) of downforce from a standstill. When the fans are at full speed, they emit about 120 dB of noise, comparable to that of a jet engine at full thrust.[16][17]

The use of fans powered by separate motors to provide downforce was first conceived of by Jim Hall for the Chaparral 2J, a Can-Am car he designed, constructed and raced in 1970. It was banned at the end of the 1970 Can-Am series. A downforce fan system was also used in the Brabham BT46B Formula One car, which was designed by Gordon Murray. The BT46B raced at the beginning of the 1978 season to great effect before a rule change was made under pressure from other race teams, resulting in a ban on movable aerodynamic surfaces.[18][19]

Tyres

The tyre width is 210 mm on the front and 240 mm on the rear, both on 19 inch (483 mm) rims. This is modest for a supercar and is comparable with regular road cars which tend to have tyre widths between 195 mm and 205 mm.[20]

See also

Comparable electric cars

Other fan cars

References

  1. ↑ "McMurtry Spéirling - Exterior Design". Andries van Overbeeke. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  2. ↑ https://www.carwow.co.uk/blog/mcmurtry-speirling-review#gref
  3. ↑ Speirling – McMurtry Automotive
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TptzkkbC1vE&t=137s
  5. ↑ "The McMurtry Speirling has broken the Goodwood hillclimb record". Top Gear. 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  6. 1 2 Vasilash, Gary (23 July 2021). "McMurtry Automotive reveals composites-intensive, fully electric Spéirling demonstrator vehicle". www.compositesworld.com. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  7. ↑ Edgren, John (2021-07-19). "Er dette verdens raskeste elbil? 0–300 på ni sekunder". Tu.no. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  8. ↑ Kew, Ollie (2022-06-27). "What is the McMurtry Spéirling?". Top Gear. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  9. 1 2 I broke the 1/4-mile world record in this new HYPERCAR!, retrieved 2023-01-06
  10. ↑ "Goodwood Edition 22". McMurtry Automotive. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  11. ↑ "39.08! McMurtry fan car breaks Goodwood Hill RECORD! | Festival of Speed 2022". YouTube.
  12. ↑ Potts, Greg (2022-06-27). "The McMurtry Speirling has broken the Goodwood hillclimb record". Top Gear. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  13. ↑ I broke the 1/4-mile world record in this new HYPERCAR!, retrieved 2022-12-25
  14. ↑ Office, personMcMurtry Press. "0-60mph and ¼ mile records set for carwow at Silverstone in McMurtry Spéirling". McMurtry Automotive. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  15. ↑ "McMurtry Spéirling hits 60 mph in 1.4 seconds, quarter-mile in 7.97". www.motorauthority.com. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  16. ↑ "Speirling". McMurtry Automotive. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  17. ↑ Oliva, Jacob (19 June 2022). "Adorably Short Electric Car Aims For 0 To 60 MPH In Under 1.5 Seconds". Motor1.com. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  18. ↑ "McMurtry target Goodwood FoS victory with fan car competing in motorsport for the first time since 1978". McMurtry Automotive. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  19. ↑ Edelstein, Stephen (9 July 2021). "British startup McMurtry unveils electric track car with downforce-generating fan". Motor Authority. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  20. ↑ Valmot, Odd Richard (2013-10-06). "Alt du bør vite om dekk". Tu.no. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
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