On July 12, British company McMurtry Automotive showed off its new Spéirling, a miniature electric hypercar, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The batmobile-like hypercar has a Gordon Murray-style fan system in the back that can generate over 1,100 lb (500 kg) of downforce at a standstill.
The Spéirling is a tiny single-seater designed solely for track use – at least, for now. Its full-carbon body measures only 10.5 ft (3.2 m) long, 3.4 ft (1.05 m) high, and 4.9 ft (1.5 m) wide, allowing it to cut through the air more efficiently. In addition, it’s powered by a rear-wheel-drive two-motor e-axle system (of McMurtry’s design), running off a 60-kWh battery pack.
While final power figures aren’t yet disclosed, the company promises at least one horsepower per kilogram of weight, with the final weight figure less than 2,205 lb (1,000 kg). According to the company, that will be enough power to go from 0 to 300 km/h (0-186 mph) in under nine seconds.
To put that kind of power through only a pair of 240-section rear tires – and to help it pull serious cornering G-forces with its narrow wheelbase – McMurtry has integrated 80-horsepower fans under the hypercar, which can generate over 50% of the car’s weight in downforce even before it starts moving.
Most electric cars are very quiet. However, Spéirling’s fan system makes a lot of noise. A McMurtry spokesman told AutoTrader in a video interview that its 120 decibels’ worth of jet turbine-like noise’ (or some 30 decibels louder than the law allows drivers to run a new vehicle in Detroit). As a result, the company considers it to be the loudest electric car in the world.
It may not be welcomed on some race tracks – but McMurtry doesn’t seem to mind. “It’s a fantastic noise; it sounds like a jet fighter,” added the spokesman.
According to the company’s website, McMurtry plans to launch an assault on several world records with the Spéirling demonstrator in the upcoming year. However, the location, date, and cost of these attempts are unknown; the Spéirling is still an early-stage prototype.
On that note, the world’s fastest motorcycle has recently been built by another British company, called White Motorcycle Concepts. The unique 2WD, hydraulically hub-steered electric bike, called the WMC250EV, is designed around a giant hole that runs through the motorbike. The company claims the WMC250EV will be capable of high speeds of over 250 mph (402 km/h) due to a massive 69% reduction in drag.
Watch the Spéirling drive around and show off at Goodwood in the video below (the car appears precisely at 3:14).
