A naturally-aspirated Cosworth GMA.2 V12 coupled with a manual gearbox is something that you would not find in many hypercars today. Gordon Murray, the father of the fabled McLaren F1, hopes to bring back analogue motoring with the T.33 hypercar.
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The Spider version brings in an added sense of grandeur. It enables the driver to get closer to the V12 powertrain in terms of its sonorous soundtrack. Compared to its coupe stablemate, the T.33 Spider is arguably even more beautiful with a sense of purity in its gorgeous lines.
A new hypercar that looks like a classic convertible
It does not trade in jaw dropping looks or the usual hypercar theatre as instead it brings an old-world charm. The Spider version adds in two removable roof panels and a deployable rear window. The roof has a fixed section which includes buttresses which forms a visual impact in terms of a adding a dash of flair to the design.
There are louvres which also cool the engine. The roof panels are made from carbon composite and can come with a range of colours. You can stow them in the luggage compartment when not in use also. With the press of a button, the rear glass drops behind the rear bulkhead too.
Gordon Murray T.33 Spider: 12 cylinders doing what they do best
Roof down it looks like a classic convertible and has a whiff of the older race cars within those large headlamps. The dihedral doors add in an other-worldly appearance while not detracting from the overall look of the car.
The Spider version brings in an added sense of grandeur while enabling the driver to get closer to the V12 powertrain in terms of its sonorous soundtrack
Inside, you have wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. But the most alluring bit is the staunchly analogue centrally-mounted rev counter which seems to be disappearing from other cars these days. Even Porsche has stopped doing those. There is a sense of occasion marked with the carbon fibre steering wheel in leather and those pedals.
A hypercar that’s truly bespoke
Even the gear shift lever and switchgear are machined from aluminium alloy. The lightweight, race-inspired carbon fibre seats are trimmed in a combination of leather and Alcantara. Of course, each car is bespoke and is made to the owner’s exact specifications. One change from the coupe is the fact that the rear bulkhead trim between the two seats is body coloured.
The Spider was developed along with the coupe. Hence there are no structural changes. It is also not very heavy with Gordon Murray’s sharp eye for saving weight along with the optimum power to weight ratio. The motor is a 3.9-litre naturally-aspirated V12 unit without turbocharging. Needless to say, there is no electrification either – just 12 cylinders doing what they do best.
Gordon Murray T.33 Spider: $2.35 million
The engine develops more than 600bhp and while that may not sound earth shattering in the days of more than 1000bhp cars, the T.33 Spider is not about straight-line speed. It is more about how the driver is immersed in the simple act of changing gears along with a melodic V12 for company.
Only 100 hand-made examples have been made and with each costing $2.35 million. The T.33 Spider is a glorious celebration of analogue motoring at its very best.
Somnath Chatterjee grew up around cars and most of his childhood was spent obsessing over supercars. Years later he decided to start writing about them and hasn’t looked back since. While he has had his fair share of cars, the world of automobiles never ceases to amaze him. Travelling all over the world to drive them along with sharing that experience is what ultimately keeps him going. He hopes to drive a Ferrari 288 GTO someday because, well, do you really need a reason?
