McMurtry has set his sights on the hill climb record at Goodwood with the Spearing funny car.

Posted on June 16, 2022
General
McMurtry has set his sights on the hill climb record at Goodwood with the Spearing funny car.

At the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the British company McMurtry will unveil its small (only 126 inches long) but powerful electric The company unveiled its small (only 126 inches long) but powerful electric circuit car, Spearing. It can generate more than 4,400 pounds of downforce at rest (previously 1,100 pounds).

At this year's festival, which runs from June 23-26, McMurtry will be attempting the event's Sunday Shootout Hill Climb, hoping not only to win but also to set a record. The current record for the 1.16-mile hill climb around the Goodwood House grounds is 39.9 seconds, set in 2019 by Romain Dumas in his 670-horsepower Volkswagen ID.R Time Attack Special.

Spearing definitely has a chance, given the tremendous downforce, more than an F1 car can generate up to 150 mph, and the high output generated by the two electric motors driving the rear wheels. Powering the motors is a 60-kilowatt-hour battery.

McMurtry has not revealed the power of the Spearing, but claims it has about 1 horsepower per 2.2 pounds of weight. He claims the car weighs less than 2,200 pounds.

As for performance, it claims 0-60 mph in less than 1.5 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph, although the latter is limited by the transmission setup that McMurtry plans for the hill climb. Typically, top speeds exceed 200 mph.

Driving the car will be former Formula 1 driver Max Chilton, who was hired in February as Spearing's development director.

"The almost constant downforce is an innovative feature for a driver. In this year's tests, I had to adapt my driving style to maximize performance."

Qualifying for the hill climb will take place on June 25, with the shootout the following day.

For more Goodwood Festival of Speed news, visit our dedicated hub.

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