A British firm is poised to redefine the boundaries of automotive performance with the Spéirling PURE, an all-electric, single-seater hypercar that doesn’t just grip the road – it appears to adhere to it. Priced at over £1 million (approximately $1.34 million as of November 21, 2023, according to XE.com), the Spéirling PURE is generating buzz not only for its blistering speed but for a radical downforce system that challenges conventional aerodynamic principles. Deliveries are slated to begin this year.
Founded in 2016 by Irish billionaire and inventor Sir David McMurtry, McMurtry Automotive has developed a patented fan system dubbed “Downforce-on-Demand.” This technology, as CNN International reported, utilizes two high-speed fans to create a powerful vacuum beneath the vehicle, effectively sucking it onto the track. The effect, likened to a powerful vacuum cleaner, provides unprecedented levels of grip.
Unprecedented Downforce: 2 Tons of Pressure
The fans, spinning at 23,000 revolutions per minute (rpm), draw air through filtered inlets beneath the chassis, generating an astonishing 2,000 kilograms (approximately 4,409 pounds) of downforce. This figure significantly exceeds the car’s own weight of around 1,300 kilograms (2,866 pounds). The system is powered by a 100 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
This innovative setup, combined with a carbon fiber body roughly the size of a MINI Cooper, allows the Spéirling PURE to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in a mere 1.55 seconds, with a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph).
A Test That Defied Gravity
What truly sets the Spéirling PURE apart is its ability to generate this immense downforce even whereas stationary. In April 2023, McMurtry successfully tested a hypothesis that the car could, quite literally, drive upside down. Thomas Yates, a co-founder of the company, piloted the vehicle on a custom-built platform, rotating it 180 degrees and demonstrating its ability to travel several meters while inverted.
“I was terrified,” Yates recounted to CNN. “More worried about crashing a million-dollar prototype than my own life. I kept dreaming the rig would fail and we’d be stuck upside down.”
Record-Breaking Performance on the Track
The demonstration, captured in a video that garnered over 116 million views on YouTube, caught the attention of online personalities like MrBeast. However, it was on the racetrack that the Spéirling PURE truly proved its mettle. In 2022, at the Goodwood Speed Festival, former Formula 1 driver Max Chilton set a new all-time record, completing the course in 39.08 seconds. Goodwood reports that this time remains unbeaten.
The car further cemented its dominance on the track by shattering the lap record at the legendary Top Gear test track, completing the circuit in 55.9 seconds – a full 3.1 seconds faster than the previous record held by a 2004 Renault F1 car.
Could This Technology Reshape Motorsport?
McMurtry’s vacuum technology holds significant potential for the future of motorsport. Yates believes the system could address the issue of “dirty air,” where turbulence created by leading cars hinders the ability of following vehicles to get close enough to overtake, leading to safer and more competitive racing. The continued operation of the fans even during a loss of control could provide drivers with increased stability and control.
While the company’s long-term goal is to produce road-legal versions, the Spéirling PURE is currently designed exclusively for track days and high-performance events. Only 100 units will be produced, each requiring approximately three months to build. With a starting price of £995,000 (excluding taxes), 24 vehicles have already been sold and the first deliveries are scheduled for this summer from the company’s new factory in the United Kingdom.
The Spéirling PURE represents a bold step forward in automotive engineering, demonstrating the potential of innovative aerodynamic solutions to unlock unprecedented levels of performance. The technology’s impact extends beyond the realm of hypercars, potentially influencing the design and development of future racing vehicles and even contributing to advancements in electric vehicle technology. McMurtry Automotive is currently focused on refining the Downforce-on-Demand system and preparing for the first customer deliveries, with ongoing testing and development planned throughout 2024.
Interested parties can locate more information about the Spéirling PURE and McMurtry Automotive on the company’s official website: https://mcmurtryautomotive.com/. Share your thoughts on this groundbreaking technology in the comments below.
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