Gordon Murray's New T.33 Spider Supercar Is A Super-Exclusive V12 Convertible
Gordon Murray Automotive, the supercar-maker headed up by the man who penned the McLaren F1, unveiled its newest model: the T.33 Spider. The T.33 is a mid-engine V12-powered supercar with a manual transmission and a removable roof. There's not a lot that can go wrong with that combination.
The most important part — the engine — is a naturally aspirated, Cosworth-designed aluminum 3.9-liter V12 that generates 608 horsepower and 332 foot-pounds of torque. It also boasts a staggering motorcycle-like redline of 11,100 rpm. According to Gordon Murray Automotive, it's the lightest road-going production V12 ever put in a car at 392 pounds for the entire engine. The Xtrac six-speed transmission weighs in at 180 pounds.
Gordon Murray Automotive
The transmission itself serves as the mounting point for the rear-suspension. Per a press release, this suspension setup helps mitigate vibrations during driving, and also saves weight. The entire car was designed with lightness in mind, and weighs just 2442 pounds empty.
For comparison, a Chevy C8 Corvette, another mid-engine performance car, weighs 3,366 pounds. The T.33 Spider utilizes a carbon monocoque body with carbon fiber and aluminum used everywhere possible. In true supercar fashion, the front wheels are smaller than the rear wheels: the front wears Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 235/35 R19 tires and the rear wears a set of Pilot Sport 4 S 295/30 R20s.
Lightweight to the extreme
Supercar interiors from small automakers are typically on the spartan side, but the T.33 Spider aims to be a bit different. The gauge cluster, featuring a giant tachometer, is surrounded by two displays that control air conditioning/heat and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The front trunk or "frunk" has a four cubic foot storage capacity, while two lockers on the side of the car can store a combined additional 6.3 cubic feet.
Gordon Murray Automotive
The seats themselves are constructed out of carbon fiber as part of the aforementioned fight for weight savings, but given the hyper exclusive nature of the car, the specific trim components, along with the entire color scheme of the car, can be dictated to the buyer. "A final palette acknowledging Gordon's love for a tropical shirt" is also available for customers who want a little bit of extra flair on their already extremely limited supercar.
Only 100 T.33 Spiders will ever leave Gordon Murray Automotive's factory in Windlesham, United Kingdom.