Experience the T.50 as Gordon Murray Drives It on the Track for the First Time

Codenamed XP1, the first functional McLaren F1 prototype was driven for the first time on December 23, 1992. By March, while it was undergoing hot-weather tests in Namibia, it was crashed by a BMW engineer. Thankfully, he survived, but the XP1 burned to the ground.

Nineteen years later, its spiritual successor, the astonishing GMA T.50, was taken for its first drive at the Top Gear test track in Dunsfold, Surrey, UK, a few feet away from the factory where it will begin series production next year.

Surrounded by GMA and Cosworth engineers, a visibly nervous Gordon Murray was waiting for the black T.50 XP2 prototype to be unloaded and fired up.

After Cosworth engineers ran some final telemetry checks, the 654-hp naturally aspirated V12 sprang to life. Although the test run was performed with the powerplant limited to 3,000 rpm, far from its 12,100rpm redline, the slow idle growl it produces will send shivers down any gearhead’s spine.

While the 393-pound (178 kg) engine was warming up, we were given a close-up view of the T.50’s massive carbon fiber ground effect fan, set to dramatically improve its aerodynamics.

Soon after, the cockpit was cleared, and the Professor hopped onboard, carefully adjusting the seatbelts as if he were getting ready to attempt a top-speed run.

The T.50 will feature two additional passenger seats on each side of the centrally mounted driver’s seat. However, on this prototype, the one on the left was removed to make room for equipment and the one on the right was occupied by a Cosworth engineer who got to witness this historical moment firsthand, albeit while holding a laptop and closely monitoring the engine.

As the gullwing doors are closed, Murray puts the car in gear and cautiously drives off, as if somehow afraid that everything might fall to pieces. But of course, it doesn’t, and a few seconds later, he gives the gas pedal a quick nudge, and although he's wearing a face mask, you can see the huge smile on his face.

As the engineer gives him the "all clear," he starts pushing the car to its electronically controlled limit and drives it around the track for a few laps, testing the acceleration response, transmission, and brakes.

Soon after the run was over, the relieved Professor described just how good it felt. He states that “the response of the engine even up to 3 (thousand revs) is ridiculous”. He goes on to explain that the V12 “was chirping the wheels up” when he accelerated.

To see a legend like Gordon Murray get as excited as a boy on Christmas morning when talking about how the T.50 drives, even with about 25% power, is inspiring and speaks volumes about how epic this machine is.

We look forward to future tests, where both the T.50 and its track-oriented T.50s Niki Lauda sibling will be unleashed with full power.