Gordon Murray Automotive has unveiled a new Spider version of their sold-out T.33 coupe. This isn’t a simple conversion of the T.33 to a convertible, but something that began development two years ago in tandem with the coupe. It was the Spider that was the baseline for Murray’s dynamic benchmarks, which judging by the performance of the T.33 coupe, were quite high. It’s an impressive piece of machinery but, strangely for a supercar, it has a focus on everyday driving versatility.
The T.33 Spider is powered by the same mid-mounted 3994 cc Cosworth GMA.2 V12 engine as the coupe. This engine is no joke, in fact, it might be so ridiculous that we probably won’t see another road-legal engine like it again. The engine is just 178kg, capable of 453kW (607bhp) of power with a redline capped at 11,100rpm.
Part of the appeal of the removable roof, according to Murray, is it can provide an immersive experience. The sound of the engine will fill the cabin thanks to a rear window that can be lowered electronically.
“It’s important to remember that it will be an induction sound that will fill the Spider’s cabin, not the exhaust note, and induction is dependent on throttle opening, rather than engine speed,” said Murray.
That means you won’t hear a continuous blaring noise when driving at constant speeds.
The roof is an interesting one as you remove the pair of roof panels yourself and stow them in bespoke fabric cases found in the nose, the process should take about a minute, according to Murray. The panels are made of carbon composite so weigh very little, and because there’s no folding mechanism the Spider only weighs 18kg more than the coupe at 1,108kg. It’s a difference so minimal that Murray says they don’t have to retune the suspension like most convertibles.
Only 100 examples of the T.33 Spider will be built. You have options for left- or right-hand drive and a luggage capacity of 295 litres (15 litres more than the coupe) thanks to a luggage compartment in the nose and two lockers just in front of the rear wheels.
It’s these kinds of decisions that exemplify what Murray means by a versatile supercar.
“Day-to-day versatility in a supercar is a challenging concept,” said Murray, “but anything that we felt might prevent an owner from using the Spider every day was just thrown out.
“That concept of versatility explains why the T.33 has a ride height that can deal with speed bumps without resorting to nose-lifting systems. It even extends to the choice of tyres because the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is readily available.”
These are available now for £1.89m (~$3.5m AUD), but they are selling very fast so there’s no time to ask your partner, you have to act now!
For more, check the new Lamborghini Revuelto, the most powerful they’ve ever built.
