How the McMurtry Spéirling achieved the distinction of being the first car to drive upside down.

      Car enthusiasts have long speculated that the immense downforce created by high-performance vehicles might eventually allow them to drive upside down. Now, British automaker McMurtry has transformed this idea into reality for the first time.

      In a stunt that would envy Batman, McMurtry drove its incredibly fast electric Spéirling inverted. Even more astonishing, it achieved this for over a minute while keeping the vehicle completely still, except for a brief acceleration to demonstrate that the car wasn’t restrained.

      Although it appears that the vehicle has defeated gravity, it is fundamentally based on basic physics combined with clever engineering.

      For a conventional Formula 1 car to drive upside down, it would need to reach speeds of at least 100–150 mph to create enough downforce to overcome its own weight and stick to the ceiling. However, the Spéirling functions differently as a fan car. Dual electric turbines located behind the cockpit draw air from beneath the chassis and expel it through a rear-mounted exhaust system, generating a low-pressure area underneath that keeps the car pressed to the ground.

      This setup allows the Spéirling to produce 2,000 kg of downforce on command. This offers excellent grip during high-speed turns and enables the 1,000 kg car to remain upside down, even while stationary.

      This is how McMurtry’s co-founder, Thomas Yates, managed to drive the Spéirling onto a rotating platform, flip it 180 degrees, and maintain that position without any wires or magnets—just an astonishing amount of downforce.

      Regarding the potential for public road applications, McMurtry drove the Spéirling up a ramp and upside down. While this was merely a demonstration for now, it raises intriguing possibilities for the future. Stuck in tunnel traffic? Just drive up the wall, flip over, and glide along the ceiling—no more gridlock.

      The Spéirling Pure, the company’s inaugural production vehicle, is scheduled to launch next year for £895,000. So, in theory, you could experience upside-down driving yourself.

      "That said, customers are strongly advised not to attempt [driving upside down] at home," a spokesperson for McMurtry informed TNW.

      If you're adventurous enough to try it, McMurtry suggests contacting the company directly to discuss “pre-flight checks, preparation and safety equipment, and controlled demonstration environments.”

      For now, McMurtry is focused on shattering records while upright. On the same day as the Batmobile-like stunt, the Spéirling shattered the all-time Top Gear track record by 3.1 seconds, surpassing a Renault F1 car at the top of the leaderboard.

      Thanks to its fan-driven technology, the McMurtry Spéirling boasts exceptional cornering grip and impressive performance. With dual electric motors—one for each rear wheel—producing over 1,000 horsepower combined and a lightweight chassis, the car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.5 seconds.