McMurtry Festival of Speed record-breaker going into production

So what is it? Well, it very much looks like a version of what we saw destroy the Hill record at Goodwood last year, only with some of the rougher edges rounded off. Think of it like a McLaren 720S GT3X – the racing car but with a bit of extra refinement and added performance. Everything that made it a record-breaker remains, including that incredible ‘downforce on demand’ fan system. In fact, the Spéirling Pure has the honour of being the first commercially-available sealed skirt fan car.

The Pure will actually represent an improvement in technology and performance over the record-breaker, with the first prototype debuting an all-new fan system that’s 15 per cent more efficient and 14 per cent lighter. The skirt design is also updated and is 15 per cent lighter. In fact, lightness has been a key pursuit, with the chassis, electrics, new 18-inch wheels, pedal box, braking system and power steering all showing weight losses. The only thing that is heavier on the Pure, is the tyres, because they’re now 60mm wider front and rear.

We’re unclear on whether McMurtry will be putting those wider tyres to the test in pursuit of another record on the Hill. While they do say its capabilities exceed those of last year’s car, they also say it’s ‘focused on multi-lap runs on full race circuits’, meaning it’s not set up for a sub-2km burst.

McMurtry say it delivers ‘constant and approachable downforce, all the time’ that is ‘not affected by yaw angle or wind direction’ to provide ‘driving on a new level’ that ‘invites drivers to push harder than they thought possible’. The numbers are frankly, a little terrifying – less than 1,000kg, more than 1,000PS (735kW), a 190mph top speed and 3G cornering capabilities at what McMurtry calls ‘accessible speeds’, so one doesn’t have to be Max Chilton to wind it up. The boring stuff is equally important, because owners will be able to charge up the Pure from nothing in 20 minutes using a fast charger.

So what is it actually for? Well, it’s actually probably more useful than some track-only supercars, given it won’t be bothering any noise restrictions at your local track. Truthfully, it’s a track day special in the most extreme sense and will even be eligible for participation in the GT1 Sports Club events for track-spec supercar owners.

As for when owners will get hold of them, McMurtry expects to be building more pre-production prototypes next year, before production and deliveries take place in 2025. So what do you think of the McMurtry Spéirling Pure? Would you have one over anything from the usual track-only hypercar crop? There’s a lot to be said for it being a third of the cost of most of them, from the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro to the GMA T.50S, and it’ll probably give them a good kicking around some circuits. Let us know your thoughts.