Gordon Murray T.33 from the perspective of Frank Stephenson

GM Automotive recently introduced the T.33, which is intended for everyday use unlike its predecessor T.50. Designer Gordon Murray said the car’s design was timeless. But what do other designers think of this car, like designer Frank Stephenson?

At first, Stephenson thought that the design of the car, based on those from the 60’s, had already been seen, so he did not give it importance. But with better observation, that has changed. He noticed that the car did not have a front splitter, so he concluded that the incoming air goes under the car creating an extra downforce. The front end reminded him of a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, primarily top fenders. The headlights look like those on the Tommy Kaira, which he didn’t like because he expected more aggressiveness in the front design overall.

Looking at it from the side, he liked the door design without handles. When it comes to luggage space, Stephenson assumes Murray used the same trick as with the McLaren F1 where he placed the packing space between the door and the rear wheel. On the roof, there is an intake to suck more air into the engine, which is typical of Murray.

On the back, he liked the tail lights design, which give an almost 3D hologram effect to the circular shape.

In the end, he concluded that there is nothing radical in terms of first impressions, but as you get into it, there are a lot of smart solutions in design and engineering.

Source: Frank Stephenson via YouTube

Rolls-Royce has a new Spirit of Ecstasy

On February 6, 1911, the most famous Rolls-Royce bonnet ornament sculpture, The Spirit of Ecstasy, was created. 111 years later, the British brand presented a new version of the sculpture for the electric future.

What matters is that the sculpture has not undergone major changes, so Rolls-Royce fans have no need to worry. The wings (actually, the dress of the female figurine) still have the same position. However, if you look closely, you can see that the new The Spirit of Ecstasy is not as straight as before. The sculpture has bent legs, one of which is slightly forward, symbolizing a step into the electric future by creating what Rolls-Royce calls the “true goddess of speed”.

The new Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy is 0.7 inches shorter than the current one. This is important when it comes to electric vehicles, where even the smallest detail increases wind resistance which means a shorter range of the vehicle. Rolls-Royce claims that its upcoming Specter EV already has a drag coefficient of just 0.26. It will be used from 2024 in new generations of electric Rolls Royce cars.

Source: Rolls-Royce

Can the Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series beat the Mustang Shelby GT 500 in drag race?

Today, the guys from Carwow, on their YouTube channel, posted a video of a drag race of two powerful cars. These are the rare Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series and Mustang Shelby GT 500. We can say that this is a showdown between the European and American brands.

The Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series is powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine with 631 hp (470 kW) and 464 lb-ft (630 Nm) of torque. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. With a weight of 1,550 kg, it reaches 62 mph in 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 196 mph (315 km / h).

The Mustang Shelby GT 500 is powered by a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine with 760 hp (567 kW) and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. With a weight of 1,916 kg, it reaches 62 mph in 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 182 mph (293 km / h). It is equipped with 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 305 / 30R20 (front) and 315 / 30R20 (rear) tires.

When it comes to price, these two models cannot be compared. The rare Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series costs £ 700,000 (in the UK), while the Mustang Shelby GT 500 costs around £ 125,000 ($ 75,000 in the United States).

At 1/4 mile in a straight line the Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series was much faster than the Mustang Shelby GT 500. The SLS Black Series set a time of 11.5 seconds, while the GT 500 covered the same distance in 11.8 seconds . However, at the 1/2 mile race, starting at 50 mph, the Mustang Shelby GT 500 was faster.

In the end, we can say that both cars are extraordinary and equally powerful.

Source: Carwow via YouTube

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