Gordon Murray, the man behind one of the world’s greatest supercars – the McLaren F1 – and a veteran designer of Formula One racing cars, has taken the wraps off his newest creation, a Spider variant of the Gordon Murray Automotive T.33 sportscar.

Developed in parallel with the T.33 coupe and sharing the same ultralight carbon fibre monocoque construction, the rear-wheel-drive T.33 Spider weighs in at 1,108kg and has two removable roof panels and a deployable rear window just in front of the monster engine that gives the car its stellar performance.

That engine is a naturally aspirated 3.9-litre V12 developed by Cosworth. The aluminium powerplant is fed via the ram air scoop on the roof and four throttle bodies and has two fuel injectors per cylinder. Maximum power is 454kW at 10,250rpm with maximum torque of 451Nm available at 6,750rpm.

The carbon composite roof panels can be stowed in a 115-litre front luggage compartment, and there are twin side lockers in the car’s rear haunches providing an additional 180 litres of storage space.

The T.33 Spider’s interior reflects the analogue and functional requirements set by its designer. A focal point of the instrument cluster is the centrally mounted rev counter, either side of which are displays for climate control and infotainment, which includes Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity

All the main controls are tactile, with the carbon fibre steering wheel trimmed in leather. The pedals, gear shift lever and switchgear are machined from aluminium alloy. Carbon fibre seats are trimmed in leather and Alcantara.

Aerodynamics befit a car built for performance and drivability while reflecting Gordon Murray’s experience designing ground-effect racing cars. There are no ducts, skirts or splitters, but there is a Passive Boundary Layer Control (PBLC). A ground-effect inlet at the front of the car directs low pressure air underneath the floor, which is then fed into a rear diffuser with a boundary layer removal duct. In combination with a deployable rear spoiler, the PBLC delivers low drag, high performance and high-speed stability.

The T.33 Spider features all-round aluminium double wishbone suspension and coilover design dampers.

The fixed rear section of the roof, which provides rollover protection, is an integral part of the body design to optimise stiffness. It is designed to minimise drag and buffeting when the panels are fitted.

To deliver traction and steering response, the T.33 Spider, like its coupe sibling, uses an asymmetric wheel and tyre specification. The front and rear axles feature lightweight, forged aluminium 19-inch and 20-inch wheels respectively, together with 235/35 ZR19 and 295/30 ZR20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres.

The Spider is offered exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox. The powertrain is completed by a multi-plate clutch and a mechanical limited-slip differential.
Just 100 examples of the T.33 Spider are to be built and each can be tailored to a customer’s specific requirements.

Price of the T.33 Spider is yet to be disclosed, although reports in the UK suggest a £1.89 million ($AU3.5 million) price tag.

VIDEO: GORDON MURRAY AUTOMOTIVE T.33 SPIDER

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (April 2023)

1 May 2023