Gordon Murray probably means nothing to people who don’t know anything about cars. However, the name conjures up images of what many believe to be the best supercar ever produced, as well as several Formula 1 vehicles, many of which have won significant races and world championships.
The legendary McLaren F1, created by British-South African designer Murray, is limited to less than 100 pieces and can now bring up to $20 million at auction. Additionally, he worked on McLaren versions and assisted Ayrton Senna in winning the championship in 1989 and 1990. He also assisted Brabham team drivers, such as Nelson Piquet, in becoming F1 World Champions in 1981 and 1983. Significantly, he created the 1978 Brabham BT46, which was withdrawn due to controversial ground-effect enhanced fan technology, but it did win the race that season.
Murray has never been far from the automotive industry, even after leaving McLaren more than 15 years ago. He has created affordable and ingenious utility vehicles for the Third World Market in addition to elegant single-seat convertible roadsters and tiny city cars. It was widely assumed that he was also developing a spiritual replacement for the McLaren F1, and eventually, those rumors came to pass.
The new Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 may be the final model made of its type. The T50 is a limited edition vehicle with a price tag of £2.36 million (before taxes). It is powered by a Cosworth-designed and -built 3.9-liter V12 engine that is naturally aspirated and does not use any hybrid technology. With a weight of only 178kg, the engine is the lightest V12 ever. It can reach an incredible 12,100 rpm and generate 654bhp. Murray has meticulously optimized every aspect of the T50’s construction and design, which contributes to its remarkably low weight. In other words, the car has an unparalleled power-to-weight ratio.
The passenger seat and the manual six-speed Xtrac transmission, which has no gearshift and only a basic gear lever on the driver’s right like in the McLaren F1, are positioned in the center of the cockpit. The T50’s sleek and smooth exterior complements the unusually small 19-inch wheels (Murray ruled out anything larger as unnecessary). The visual impression is that there are no wings, openings, intakes, splitters, or vents.
Along with the three-seat cabin and two-way swinging doors, the design of the vehicle is equally simple, elegant, and jet-style, offering “optimal visibility, balance, and immersion in the experience drive.” The carbon fiber wheels feature spoke indicators instead of screens, and the gear lever and shift mechanism, clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals are all made of titanium. The materials and craftsmanship are superb. touchscreen; in other words, everything is analog, even though there is a 700-watt, 10-speaker Arcam sound system.
The term “analog” could refer to any device that is intended to outperform driving in every way. Murray declared, “After thirty years of technological and system advancements [since F1], it’s time to design the ultimate analog car.” When deliveries start early next year, only time will tell how credible this claim is. Nevertheless, there seems to be evidence that he not only met his objective but also surpassed his own already impressive successes.
