01 Apr GORDON MURRAY T.33 SPIDER

There was a time when the appeal of driving lay in actually driving the car. The high water mark of that ethos remains the McLaren F1, and its designer, Gordon Murray, looks to restore the thrill of the unfettered automobile with the T.33 Spider.

The open-top version of the T.33 uses the same naturally-aspirated Cosworth GMA.2 3.9-liter V12, making 608 horsepower at an eye-watering 11,100 RPM, backed by a six-speed Xtrac manual transmission — no paddles, dual-clutches, or manumatics here.

The cockpit is sparse and simple, with a huge centrally-located rev counter flanked by two small digital displays. Construction is all carbon fiber, with the roof panels able to be stowed in the front compartment, without using all the available space. 100 T.33 Spiders will be made, each one hand-assembled at Murray’s new Highams Park HQ in Windlesham, Surrey.

curated by ozzie small