The Car That Absolutely Sucks... in the Best Way
Image Credit: McMurtry Automotive.
Today, let's talk about a car that's making headlines for all the right – or should I say wrong? – reasons. It's the McMurtry Spéirling, a car that's so clingy, it'd make your ex jealous. But in a good way. In a record-breaking way.
Now, I've seen my fair share of cars - fast, slow, and downright weird. I've driven them, I've written about them, I've even smelled a few questionable ones (let's not talk about that). But this one? It's a whole different beast. It's got fans. Not the screaming, autograph-hunting kind, but the whirring, air-sucking kind.
See, the Spéirling is what they call a 'fan car.' It literally sucks itself to the ground, creating so much downforce it could probably stick to the ceiling if you asked it nicely.
Image Credit: McMurtry Automotive.
And it's not just a gimmick, either. This thing is fast. It recently blew away the competition at the Reverse Corkscrew Hillclimb at Laguna Seca, smashing the previous record by - wait for it - a whole six seconds.
This Hillclimb isn't for the faint of heart. It's 300 feet (91 m) straight up, with most of that gain coming on the infamous Corkscrew. Imagine trying to run up a five-and-a-half-story building at an 18-degree angle. Now imagine doing it in a car. Yeah, it's that steep.
But the Spéirling didn't just conquer the hill; it devoured it. And it did it in a time that'd make your head spin: 28.6 seconds. For the new short course? 21.958 seconds! The second-place car was over seven seconds slower. Ouch.
Image Credit: McMurtry Automotive.
So, how does this suction-cup-on-wheels work, you ask? Well, it's all thanks to those fans. They create a vacuum under the car, pulling it down onto the track with the force of a thousand magnets. It's like the car is giving the road a big, wet kiss. And the road seems to like it.
Now, there are a few downsides. It's a bit messy, with all that air sucking up debris like a hungry vacuum cleaner. And it's not exactly cheap. We're talking a cool $1.1 million. But hey, for that price, you get 1,000 horsepower (745 kW) and the ability to stick to the road like a lovesick limpet.
Image Credit: McMurtry Automotive.
So, is the McMurtry Spéirling the future of racing? Maybe, maybe not. But it's certainly shaking things up. And it's proving that sometimes, a little suction can go a long way. Just remember: Don't try this at home, kids. Leave the vacuuming to the professionals. Or, in this case, the insanely fast fan cars.
