British supercar manufacturer Gordon Murray Automotive has revealed its latest creation, the T.33 Spider.
The two-seat roadster was designed alongside its coupe counterpart, the T.33, and retains the same aerodynamics with an active rear spoiler and classic 1960s-inspired shape.
The T.33 Spider’s two carbon composite roof panels can be stowed in the 115-litre front luggage compartment, and the rear glass can slide into the bulkhead at the press of a button.
The GMA design team has managed to compensate for most of the weight usually added from foldable roof apparatus, as the Spider weighs in at 1108kg, only 18kg more than the coupe.
The T.33 Spider is powered by the same mid-mounted, naturally aspirated 3.9-litre V12 engine, which produces 454kW of power at 10,250rpm and 451Nm of torque at 6750rpm.
The engine is electronically limited to 11,100 rpm and weighs a total of 178 kg, which GMA says makes it the world’s lightest road car V12 engine.
The V12 is available with a six-speed manual transmission, ditching the paddle-shifted transmission offered with the coupe that was only selected by a handful of T.33 coupe buyers.
The vehicle will be hand-built with carbon-fibre monocoque technology alongside the T.33 at the brand’s new production facility in Surrey.
Behind the dihedral doors, there is a 90-litre storage compartment under each of the rear haunches.
The T.33 Spider runs on 19-inch front wheels and 20-inch rear wheels sitting on Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres.
Inside, there is a centrally mounted analogue rev counter shouldered by climate control and infotainment equipped with the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The carbon-fibre steering wheel is trimmed in leather, aluminium alloy has been used for the pedals and gear shifter, and the race-inspired carbon-fibre seats are trimmed in leather and Alcantara.
The Spider is the second of three expected T.33 variants. A track-focused third model will join the coupe and spider.
“From the outset of the T.33 program, I always intended there to be a Spider – in fact, I sketched the Spider before the coupe to ensure the proportions worked,” said Gordon Murray himself, prior to the vehicle’s launch.
“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.”
Like the coupe, the Spider will be limited to 100 units.
Based on the popularity of the T.33 coupe, which sold out shortly after its announcement, the Spider won’t be available for long.
Pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but the T.33 Spider is expected to sell for slightly over the £1.37 million (AUD$2.54 million) of the coupe model.
The current Gordon Murray lineup consists of the T.50, T.50s Niki Lauda, T.33 coupe and now the T.33 spider.
Gordon Murray has already begun working on the electrification of its lineup, with two electric SUVs reportedly in the works.
