British engineering flexes its muscles in the hypercar arena
Britain’s reputation for niche engineering brilliance is alive and well. Electric powertrain specialist Helix is supplying bespoke SPX242-94 motors to the record chasing McMurtry Spéirling PURE, a machine that continues to rewrite expectations of what four wheels can do.
The Spéirling deploys two Helix motors on the rear axle, delivering a combined output of 1,000 horsepower. Unlike mass market electric vehicles, where durability and cost often dictate compromise, this application pursues outright performance with ruthless focus.
Featherweight power
Each SPX242-94 motor weighs just 33 kilograms. That modest figure allows McMurtry to preserve the car’s compact footprint without sacrificing explosive acceleration. In a segment where every kilogram matters, shaving weight from the powertrain directly enhances agility and response.
The motors work in tandem with McMurtry’s patented Downforce on Demand fan system, which actively sucks the car onto the track surface. The result borders on absurd. The Spéirling can sprint from 0 to 60 mph, approximately 96 km/h, in just 1.5 seconds. That places it ahead of virtually every series production internal combustion or electric rival.
More than a supplier contract
Helix’s involvement is not a routine supplier arrangement. It is a technical showcase. The company previously provided powertrain components for projects including the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the Lotus Evija, both regarded as engineering flagships in their own right.
By partnering with McMurtry, Helix underlines its position at the cutting edge of high performance electric propulsion. The focus is not on mass production volumes but on maximising power density, thermal efficiency and reliability under extreme load.
First customer deliveries of the Spéirling PURE are scheduled for 2026. In a market crowded with headline figures and marketing bravado, this project stands out for a simpler reason. It proves that when weight is minimised and engineering is uncompromising, electric performance can feel less like progress and more like a controlled detonation.
