Tesla called out over 'flying tech' as McMurtry car proves it’s already been done
You might have been left impressed by Tesla's supposedly groundbreaking demonstration last night, yet it's not quite as impressive as you might think with many keen to point out how another car manufacturer, McMurtry Automotive, has achieved the feat before.
Specifically referencing the possibility of driving upside down, many were left with their minds blown when the Tesla Roadster climbed up the vertical road before soaring off the top, flipping around to face the right way, and flying towards the ground in a cloud of compressed gas.
That first part isn't quite as revolutionary as it seems, however, as McMurtry managed to create a car with so much grip that it was capable of driving upside down, and it's all thanks to two massive vacuum fans sat on the back of the vehicle.
As per MotorBiscuit, the McMurtry Spéirling is the vehicle that was capable of this before the Tesla Roadster, with the fully electric hypercar placing two fans at the rear that pull air out from underneath the car, generating a 'low-pressure zone' underneath the body.
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This effectively binds the car to the tarmac underneath no matter what gravity is saying otherwise, and while this does allow the vehicle to drive upside down, its primary purpose is to create an unbelievable amount of speed from the start, achieving 0-60 in just 1.4 seconds — the fastest time in the world before Tesla smashed the record with 0.81 seconds last night.
The comparison between McMurtry and Tesla has been eagerly made by many on social media following the recent Tesla event, especially as some pushed conspiracies that Elon Musk's company was using 'strings and tricks' to allow the Roadster to drive upside down.
Notable Musk critic and famous YouTuber JerryRigEverything offered his perspective on the matter, declaring: "Of course the event is real. The electric McMurtry Spéirling drove upside down last year with the same reverse suction tech.
"Self landing rockets are so mainstream even Honda has one," he added. "Cool tech. Pretty useless in a car tho."
Much like the Spéirling too, it's unlikely that the Roadster will ever be street legal with this tech installed inside, making this likely an incredibly expensive hobby car for those who want to try out cool tricks, instead of one that takes you from point A to point B on the daily.
It also seems like Tesla themselves aren't completely confident in the technology, as they made sure that the vehicle was controlled remotely to ensure that "we don't kill anyone" during the presentation — although you can't blame them for being overly cautious when showing off tech like this.