In an awe-inspiring blend of engineering genius and pure audacity, McMurtry Automotive has stunned the world by achieving what was once the stuff of motorsport myth: driving a car upside down. The trailblazing McMurtry Spéirling—already the fastest vehicle up Goodwood’s legendary Hillclimb and around the Top Gear Test Track—has become the first car ever to drive fully inverted under its own power.
The gravity-defying stunt took place at the company’s Gloucestershire headquarters, where the Spéirling was strapped into a bespoke rotating rig designed to test the theoretical underpinnings of extreme downforce. Behind the wheel was McMurtry Co-founder and Managing Director Thomas Yates, who used the hypercar’s proprietary Downforce-on-Demand™ fan system to ‘suck’ the vehicle to the rig’s ceiling—then drove it forward, unsupported, while upside down.
“That was just a fantastic day in the office,” said Yates. “Strapping in and driving inverted was a completely surreal experience. The 2000kg of downforce that the fan system can generate is truly astonishing to experience.”
This staggering visual spectacle was not only a celebration of innovation but also a tribute to McMurtry’s roots. The Spéirling wore a bespoke black falcon camouflage livery, honouring the original 2021 fan car that first captured the public’s imagination at Goodwood—where onlookers cheekily asked, “So can you drive it upside down?”
Now, that question has been answered with a resounding, history-making yes.
A New Benchmark in Performance
The upside-down drive was just the beginning of McMurtry’s big announcement. On the same day, it was confirmed that the Spéirling has shattered yet another performance record—this time obliterating the Top Gear Test Track benchmark by a full 3.1 seconds. The previous record-holder, a V10-powered Renault R24 Formula 1 car, had reigned supreme since 2004.
This latest accolade adds to the Spéirling’s already impressive resumé, which includes the Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb and Laguna Seca’s Corkscrew Hillclimb records.
Where others rely on high-speed aerodynamic aids, the McMurtry Spéirling is unique in its approach. The patented Downforce-on-Demand™ system can generate monumental grip even at zero velocity—redefining what’s possible for electric hypercars on and now, quite literally, off the ground.
What Makes It Possible?
For decades, engineers and enthusiasts have speculated whether an F1 car—or any car generating sufficient downforce—could drive upside down. The concept hinges on whether the car can produce more downward force than the force of gravity acting upon it.
With the Spéirling, McMurtry has proved that not only is it possible, it’s controllable, repeatable, and demonstrably real. The fan system provides constant downforce regardless of speed, enabling not just extraordinary cornering abilities (over 3g of lateral force), but also feats like upside-down driving—without the need for extreme speed.
A Legacy in Motion
The specific vehicle used for the stunt is the Spéirling PURE VP1 (Validation Prototype 1), a further evolution of the prototype that broke records at Goodwood. It serves as the bridge to the 2026 production model, of which just 100 units will be made.
Future customer cars will feature a larger 100kWh battery pack, enabling 20 minutes of track driving at GT3 race pace and delivering consistent performance across multiple hot laps. The energy is stored in Molicel P50B 21700 lithium-ion cells, chosen for their unmatched balance of power density and energy delivery.
Pushing Boundaries, Safely
While driving upside down might seem like a daredevil stunt, safety remains central to McMurtry’s design ethos. Built to the rigorous safety standards of LMP1 endurance racers, the Spéirling not only protects its driver in extreme scenarios, but leverages its instant downforce to offer unparalleled stopping power—even in the event of a spin.
“In testing, we’ve found that even in a loss of control, the available grip allows the driver to brake and stop almost instantly—often while still on the tarmac,” Yates explained.
The Future Is Gravity-Defying
The upside-down drive is more than a headline—it’s a bold demonstration of what happens when visionary engineering meets a fearless imagination. It underscores McMurtry Automotive’s unrelenting pursuit of redefining performance, safety, and possibility in the world of electric hypercars.
“This demonstration is just the beginning,” hinted Yates. “With a longer inverted track—or perhaps a tunnel—who knows how far we could go?”
One thing is certain: the McMurtry Spéirling hasn’t just rewritten the rulebook. It’s tossed it to the ceiling—then driven across it.
