Gordon Murray Automotive’s second hypercar was designed as a roadster from the outset, which will be unveiled on April 4
With the T.50 hypercar having reached final sign off, attention has turned to Gordon Murray Automotive’s next project: the T.33. More specifically, the firm has announced the arrival of the T.33 Spider, which will follow the coupe version as a lightweight, V12-engined roadster to mark what could be the combustion engine’s final years.
The T.33 Spider will be fully unveiled on April 4, but a technical drawing of the car has been released to tease its 1960s-inspired proportions in advance. The T.33’s sinewy lines and flowing curves have remained intact in Spider form, with a targa-style roof opening cut into the bowl-shaped glasshouse.
The teaser sketch indicates that, like the coupe, GMA's Cosworth-built motor will be wedged right up against the rear bulkhead, with a reclined driver’s seat mounted on the deck. That the packaging and styling are just as cohesive as the hard top is no coincidence – the T.33 was conceived as a Spider from the outset.
‘I sketched the Spider before the coupe to ensure the proportions worked’, said Gordon Murray. ‘And from that first sketch I knew, with its open cockpit and the incredible Cosworth GMA.2 V12 engine right behind you, the T.33 Spider would deliver a truly involving driving experience that’s quite unlike anything else.’
Built on the same principles as the T.50 – albeit without the central driving position and fan-driven aero – the T.33 uses GMA’s 4-litre V12 with 607bhp and a stratospheric 11,100rpm redline. We’ve heard the T.50’s ear-piercing war cry in previous teaser videos, and the T.33 Spider could be more intense still thanks to an induction snorkel that reaches over the driver’s head.
The T.33’s 1090kg dry weight has crept up by just 18kg in Spider form, but the 1960s-inspired supercar is unlikely to change much in other respects. To support its brief as an interactive road car, first and foremost, expect the hard top’s hydraulically assisted steering and manual gearbox option to be carried over, along with its modest Porsche Boxster-sized footprint.
Gordon Murray’s unique Superlight aluminium and carbon architecture sits at the T.33’s core, with the rear suspension hung from the gearbox casing – just as in the T.50. Of course, given this fastidious engineering, the T.33 Spider won’t come cheap – expect an uplift over the £1.37m coupe when it comes to market.
Keyword: GMA T.33 Spider: analogue V12 roadster to break cover next week