Claimed to be a world first, the demonstration took place at Swinhay House, the former residence of Renishaw and McMurtry Automotive founder, David McMurtry, who passed away in December 2024. A McMurtry Spéirling PURE Validation Prototype 1 (VP1) was driven on to a custom-built platform which then rotated 180 degrees to invert the stationary vehicle. Relying on the huge ‘Downforce on Demand’ created by twin 23,000 RPM fans on the car’s undercarriage, the Spéirling remained firmly attached to the platform and was driven a few feet forward before the rig rotated it back to ground.
Behind the wheel was Thomas Yates, McMurtry Automotive co-founder & managing director. Describing the experience as a ‘fantastic day in the office’, he hinted there may be more inverted demonstrations to come for the Spéirling if the right location and set-up can be found.
“Strapping in and driving inverted was a completely surreal experience,” said Yates. “The 2000kg of downforce that the fan system can generate is truly astonishing to experience and it’s great to show the reason why our Spéirling continues to take records around the world.
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“This demonstration was an exciting proof-of-concept using a small purpose-built rig, but is perhaps just the beginning of what’s possible. With a longer inverted track or a suitable tunnel, we may be able to drive even further!”
According to the company, the car’s 2,000kg fan-driven downforce enables 3G cornering. This ability, combined with acceleration to 60mph in just 1.5 seconds, has seen the Spéirling pick off several marquee speed records since it was first unveiled in 2021.
McMurtry Automotive announced that the Spéirling recently broke the Top Gear Test Track record by 3.1 seconds, a title previously held by a V10 Renault R24 Formula 1 car from 2004. The Spéirling also holds the Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb outright record and the Laguna Seca Corkscrew Hillclimb record.
The first Spéirling PURE customer deliveries are set for 2026 and will feature a number of enhancements over this prototype, according to the company. These include a higher 100kWh capacity battery back powered by P50B Molicel 21700s lithium-ion cells. It’s claimed this will allow for 20-minute track sessions with multiple hot laps at top pace. Just 100 customer vehicles are set to be made, with a rumoured price tag of $1m each.
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