Gordon Murray Automotive: Details of Its New ‘T.50’ Supercar

Gordon Murray Automotive has announced details of its first vehicle – the T.50 supercar. Conceived as the spiritual successor to the Murray-devised McLaren F1, the T.50 is designed to be the most driver-focused supercar ever built.

The T.50 will begin full production and customer deliveries in early 2022, but unfortunately, sales of the T.50 are limited to only 100 vehicles. This leaves these owners of the T.50 as the lucky few that will experience Murray’s vision – a supercar inspired by his 50 years at the pinnacle of Formula One.

The T.50 supercar claims to weigh significantly less than any existing supercar

The T.50 breaks from performance-car convention, just as the F1 did in 1992. It weighs significantly less than any other current supercar at just 980kg. It has the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car, and it claims to have the most driver-focused performance and dynamics of any road car since the F1.

“Automotive enthusiasts and road-test editors have discussed the concept of ‘peak supercar’ for some time,” says Murray. “The reality of chasing top speeds only adds weight, notably through ever-more powerful engines, which increase the requirement for larger, heavier ancillaries. We are taking a very different approach.”

Murray’s lightweight vision has been rewarded with smaller external proportions that are highly compact (smaller than the footprint of a Porsche 911 at just 4,380mm long and 1,850mm wide) to optimise handling.

Enough power to get you into a lot of trouble at home

Powered by an all-new mid-mounted, naturally-aspirated 3.9-liter V12 engine, the T.50 will be capable of an extraordinary 12,100rpm. This amount of revs is unparalleled in a V12 road car. To deliver unmatched power-to-weight, the Cosworth developed V12 engine delivers 650hp, which is more power from four litres than the F1 produced with 6.1 litres in 1992.  This achievement is aided by the inclusion of roof-fed ram-air induction, which increases horsepower to around 700hp. However, Murray says: “I have absolutely no interest in chasing records for top speed or acceleration.” Although with specs like these it’ll be hard to not be one of the fastest and quickest cars in the world.

Murray adds: “By working with the team at Cosworth Powertrain we have created the greatest naturally-aspirated engine ever designed for the road. It is the highest revving, highest power density, lightest and fastest-responding naturally-aspirated V12 ever made for a road car.”

A Rear-Drive Experience for the Analogue driver

Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a lightweight six-speed transmission designed in conjunction with British transmission technology specialists Xtrac. In the furtherance of maximum driver reward and low weight, Murray has specified the T.50 with a newly-designed and developed ‘H-pattern’ six-speed gearbox – deliberately eschewing the twin-clutch solution favoured by many supercar makers. The brakes, also developed specially for the T.50, shed speed through a combination of lightweight monobloc alloy calipers and new technology carbon-ceramic discs.

An interior for three

The T.50 supercar is the spiritual successor to the ground-breaking F1, and the famous 3-seat interior makes a return in the T.50.

The central driving position provides a ‘jet-fighter-style’ visibility, while analogue instruments and driver-centric controls are positioned to provide an even more intuitive and immersive driving experience than the acclaimed F1.

Advanced F1-inspired aerodynamics

The new car builds on the F1’s highly-advanced aerodynamics, taking Murray’s ground-effect innovations to an all-new level with intelligent management of underbody airflow coupled with a 400mm fan at the rear. The fan actively controls underbody airflow – a feature Murray famously premiered on the Brabham BT46B Formula One ‘Fan Car’. This approach allows the upper surfaces of the car to retain purity and beauty, eschewing the exaggerated scoops and spoilers familiar in the segment and equipping the T.50 with the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car.

An ‘everyday supercar’

Despite the car’s performance capabilities, it is far from a stripped-back racer. The T.50 is an ‘everyday supercar’ capable of GT-style cruising in spacious comfort with room for the driver, two passengers and luggage.

“I designed the F1 as a sort of super GT car – absolutely road-focused with no plan to go racing, which is why the car set new standards for packaging and luggage space. The T.50 design has the same focus and betters the F1 in every area – ingress and egress; luggage capacity; serviceability; maintenance and suspension set-up. Also, driver-selectable engine maps ensure a driving mode to suit every situation,” concludes Murray.

Built in the UK

All engineering, design and styling of the T.50 is by Gordon Murray Design. The T.50 will be manufactured at a new, purpose-built facility in Surrey, UK. Furthermore, all major components will be bespoke and UK-sourced, including the powertrain, body and chassis. This will be a true British supercar.

“We expect this to be the last, and the greatest, ‘analogue’ supercar ever built,” says Murray.

The T.50 will be priced in excess of £2 million before taxes.