Gordon Murray is a legend in the global automotive scenario. He is a celebrated automotive designer and engineer and recently, he took the wraps off his latest creation, the T.50 supercar, which is said to be the most driver-centric supercar ever manufactured. The Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) T.50 is called such because it is Murray's 50th car design, in his career of over 50 years. Rather than being a track focussed car, the T.50 is said to be practical and offer everyday usability along with a mental drive experience.
(The dihedral doors on the T.50 supercar look quite cool)
The GMA T.50 weighs just 986 kg, which is just a third of an average supercar's actual weight. In terms of an engine, it gets a 4.0-litre V12 Cosworth which is naturally aspirated and makes a massive 654 bhp at 11,500 rpm along with a peak torque output of 467 Nm at 9,000 rpm. In fact, the supercar offers up to 71 per cent of the torque from 2,500 rpm itself. The car has an insane power to weight ratio of 662 bhp per tonne. The engine in particular, revs till 12,100 rpm and is the lightest V12 road-going engine, weighing just 178 kg. The other highlight is the 6-speed manual gearbox, complete with an H-pattern gearknob inside the cabin.
(The T.50 gets graceful curves and no sharp edges on its body, save for the rear)
In terms of design, the GMA T.50 has polarised opinion on the internet. We think it looks like a 90s sportscar and does get an interesting design. The supercar is more rounded, gets curves and not edgy and radical like modern supercars and it is said to aid aerodynamics. The dihedral doors are yet another point of attraction on the car, opening upwards rather than outwards. The design up front is in complete contrast with dynamic and sharp rear.
(One of the biggest attractions on the T.50 is the 400 rear-mounted fan which helps in generating downforce, reducing braking distance and adding close to 45 bhp to the car's total power output)
The biggest attraction on the GMW T.50 is the 400 mm rear-mounted fan which enhances the T.50's capability by inducing airflow under the body of the car and generating up to 50 per cent downforce, reduce drag by 12.5 per cent and add close to 45 bhp to car's power output. GMA says that the car gets six aerodynamic modes and it gets the most advanced and effective aerodynamics on any car ever built.
(The GMA T.50 gets an H-pattern gearknob for shifting through the six forward gears. Quite cool, we say!)
The cabin too feels very familiar to the McLaren F1, with the driver seat right in the middle and two seats on either side. There is an infotainment system as well, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with Bluetooth connectivity. There is a premium 10-speaker audio system on offer too and decent 288 litres of luggage space. Just to give you a perspective on the size, the GMA T.50 is smaller than a Porsche 911. Plus, the supercar does not get wing mirrors so as to keep its aerodynamic and dimensions tight.
(The T.50 is the successor to the iconic 1992 McLaren F1. Like the McLaren, the T.50 also has the driver seat in the middle)
Only 100 of these cars will be manufactured and the deliveries will begin in early 2022. Most of the units have already been spoken for and each car is expected to cost about 2.36 million pounds or Rs. 23.12 crore. Once all 100 road-going units are sold out, GMA could look at manufacturing 25 hard-core track only units.
