When the Gordon Murray T.33 Coupe was first shown last year we were told that it would be the first of three models to use the same platform, each limited to a production run of just 100 cars. Now, after a teaser dropped last week, you’re looking at the second of these, the T.33 Spider, which will follow the Coupe into production at GMA’s new HQ in Windelsham. Roadster buyers will be getting their cars in mid-2025, having paid the small matter of £2.27m including VAT to secure one. Don’t be tardy - previously announced GMA models have sold out their full allocation within weeks of being announced.
The differences between the T.33 Spider and Coupe are both obvious and predictable, but that doesn’t stop it from promising to be truly special. PH got to see the concept version at GMA’s facility in Dunsfold ahead of the official unveiling, being shown around it by Murray himself.
“We designed the Spider first, as that’s much easier to do than to take the roof off a coupe,” he explained, “our original torsional target and bending stiffness targets were both for the Spider. The Coupe is slightly stiffer, but that’s bonus stiffness if you like.”
The Spider’s roof isn’t a snazzy power operated one. Rather, like a Corvette - or a Hennessey F5 Roadster - it uses lift-out Targa panels with a small, power-operated rear screen behind the passenger seats. While the DIY panels will obviously be more work to remove and then stow in the front luggage compartment, they mean that there are minimal weight penalties over the Coupe. On GMA’s numbers the Spider’s 1108kg dry weight is just 18kg more. Murray also says that the two cars share almost identical aerodynamic performance.
The car you see here is a late styling model, and one that doesn’t quite reflect what will be the finished reality. After it was commissioned Murray says the decision was taken to move the windscreen rail slightly further forwards; this will be a noticeable 110mm shorter. Other than that, the production car will look pretty much exactly like this one.
The T.33 will be very practical for something in this rarefied space, with usability being one of Murray’s core criteria for the project. Carrying the roof elements up front will deny use of the 115 litre frunk, but like the Coupe the T.33 Spider has two rear-hinged storage compartments behind the passenger compartment on each side, these having an impressively spacious 180 litres between them. Keeping the roof on, or leaving it at home, will allow total lugging capacity to rise to 295 litres, more than a Ford Fiesta’s boot.
The similarities between the T.33 Spider and Coupe mean that the open-topped car will be the one used to secure full U.S. Federal homologation. GMA is spending a chunky £28m to do this, rather than trying to rely on the legal fudge which is selling supercars on ‘show and display’ exemption, with most of that figure being for the 30 prototypes that are going to be required for varying types of crash testing. The strategy seems to be paying off, too - apparently half of the hundred T.33 Coupes have been ordered by buyers in the States.
But another idea Murray from the T.33 Coupe has categorically failed. When Murray showed us that car last year, he admitted that the decision to give buyers the choice between a six-speed manual gearbox and one fitted with Xtrac’s instantaneous shift system was a shot in the dark. One that missed; so few people wanted paddle shifters that the decision has been made for both T.33 Coupe and Spider to be manual only. Which is an impressive reflection of the sort of buyers who are being drawn to the purity of Murray’s vision, although bad news for any billionaires unable to use a clutch pedal. The third T.33 variant, likely to be track focused, may use the automated ‘box.
The rest of the Spider’s mechanical package is unchanged from the T.33 Coupe. The new car uses the same 4.0-litre Cosworth-created naturally aspirated V12, and although this meets its redline at 11,100rpm - 1000rpm lower than slightly madder version in the T.50 does - it still makes its peak 607hp at a zingy 10,250rpm. Max torque is 332lb ft at 6,750rpm, but GMA says that 249lb ft is available from just 2500rpm, so low-speed driveability shouldn’t be an issue. Like the larger 6.5-litre Cosworth V12 in the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the T.33 uses timing gears rather than chains, but these are located at the back rather than the front to help reduce noise, and the engine is isolated from the central carbon monocoque rather than bolted directly to it. Murray predicts that most of the sound inside the cabin will be induction noise, augmented by the high-level air intake at the rear, this designed to deliver a modest ram effect to boost power as speed increases.
A closer look at the intake proves that this is another clever detail. There is a clearance between the intake and both the roofline and the rear deck. That’s because the intake is mounted directly to the engine, and will therefore be able to move - like a muscle car’s ‘shaker hood’ - when the engine revs. The module behind it contains the high-level brake light as well as a reversing camera. The T.33 will also get separately switchable stability control and traction control.
The chance to see the T.33’s interior up close shows the emphasis on functional design, but also gives proof of Murray’s determination not to use switchgear bought from mainstream models. Ahead of the driver is a deeply dished steering wheel with minimal distractions - turn signal buttons and two small scroll wheels. Through this is a clear view of the vast analogue rev counter, with this flanked on each side by smaller digital display screens.
Other driving controls are small dials that flank the steering wheel on both sides. There are also pair of what look initially like gearchange paddles, but aren’t - the one on the left controls headlight flash, the one on the right the horn. The gear shifter has been given the position and size due to what will doubtless be the car’s starring feature, with the red catch next to it a lock out to prevent inadvertent selection of reverse. And if you’re looking at these images worrying about drive-through windows, both left- and right-hand drive will be offered.
The lack of wings or other obvious aerodynamic surfaces has given a very clean shape, but the T.33 Spider has abundant presence in the flesh. It looks bigger than it actually is; at 4398mm it is pretty much bang-on the length of a 718 Cayman and at 1850mm is only 30mm wider. It lacks the T.50’s fan-assisted aerodynamics, but still features a lesser form of ground effects, with low-pressure air drawn from the rear of the car used to help improve the efficiency of the underbody diffuser. Murray says the peak downforce will be 150kg at 150mph, enough to improve high-speed stability but without squashing the car too far on its springs. Like the T.50 and T.33, it will use passive dampers and doesn’t even have a rear anti-roll bar.
Murray says he hopes that T.33 Spider buyers will actually drive their cars. Like the Coupe it promises 6,000-mile service intervals and rides on regular consumer-grade Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres rather than expensive and hard to source bespoke rubber. He has been spending time in T.50 prototypes and reports that under gentle use the Cosworth V12 is impressively frugal - more than 30mpg should be possible. The T.33 will be sold with the option of a higher sixth gear for those looking for high-speed cruising over outright acceleration, one a majority of buyers are expected to choose.
Will anybody actually put proper miles on one? Murray is optimistic - “it would be a huge shame not to.” And to encourage the right sort of use he has another novel plan - an annual award which will be given to the owner of the GMA car which has covered the most miles in the previous 12 months. Can you imagine how much fun it would be to win that?
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