654bhp Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 revealed
A new British-built supercar from the company started by legendary car designer Gordon Murray has finally broken cover.
The Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) T.50 claims to be ‘the most driver-centric supercar ever built’, with the ‘most advanced and effective aerodynamics ever seen on a road car’.
Power comes from a bespoke 3.9-litre V12 engine that makes 654bhp and revs to an incredible 12,100rpm, while the car itself weighs just 986kg.
However, the unique selling point is the 400mm rear-mounted fan, which rapidly accelerates air passing under the car. Known as ‘ground effects’, it has a big effect on downforce, so the technology allows for the surface of the car to have fewer aerodynamic devices resulting in a cleaner design.
The fan is run by a 48-volt motor, and has six different modes to optimise airflow for high downforce or high top speeds.
All-new T.50 supercar. Nothing else on the road will feel, sound or respond like it. See it revealed on the 4th August 2020 at 17:00 BST#T50supercar#GordonMurrayAutomotive#GordonMurray#supercar#Britishcars #design#art#engineering
Instagram: https://t.co/RsYGJm9qH0pic.twitter.com/m1MsHBQ4YX
— Gordon Murray Automotive (@PlanetGMA) August 3, 2020
Speaking of the fans, which Murray also used on his most famous car design, the McLaren F1, the 74-year-old said: “Next-level aerodynamics allow us to avoid the current supercar trend for exaggerated wings, vents and ducts. I was determined to create a clean and pure shape that would remain timeless, ensuring the T.50 will still look fresh in 30 years.”
If it wasn’t for the fans, the engine would be a major talking point too. Developed by Cosworth, the engine is a naturally aspirated unit that GMA claims is the lightest V12 ever made thanks to its aluminium, steel and titanium construction.
Murray said of the engine: “To be truly remarkable, an engine needs to have the right characteristics: highly-responsive, an amazing sound, engaging torque delivery, free-revving, and it has to be naturally aspirated. For all those reasons, the engine in the T.50 was never going to be anything other than a V12.”
Customer deliveries of the T.50 will begin in January 2022, and each will cost £2.36m before local taxes.