Photo: GMA
If there's one thing you can definitely say about Gordon Murray, it's that he does things differently. The man whose name will always be linked with the wonderful McLaren F1 doesn't look into the current automotive trends, doing things his own way instead.
His latest creation, the T.50 hyper-something-car, is the perfect example. When all the cars around either use at least two turbochargers and/or an electric motor as well, the T.50 gets a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V12 engine and no more than that.
Surely, you'll think, there must be a trick there somewhere. You can't ask over three million dollars in this day and age for something that only produces 654 hp and 344 lb-ft (467 Nm) of torque. Yes, the Cosworth-developed V12 does rev all the way up to 12,100 rpm, making some wonderful music in the process, but that alone can't justify the price tag.
Like any other vehicle made by Murray, you can't judge the T.50 based on a few of its specs alone. You need to look at the whole package - at the fact it has a simple yet gorgeous design, that it only weighs 2,174 lbs (986kg), and everything in between. Where do Gordon Murray and his company, Gordon Murray Automotive, go from here?
Apparently, the designer has his sights set on something a bit less hardcore. The T.50 is meant to be the company's halo car, and that's not going to change too soon. Speaking to TopGear.com, Murray revealed the following model would be "more usable" and feature a "bit more conventional architecture."
Don't for one moment read that and think it'll be bland. GMA is not capable of such a thing: "the next car will always be the best car to drive in its segment or price range," Murray says. "It’ll always be the lightest car, and it’ll always be the best engineered car."
Asked about the possibility of GMA going after the one car everyone seems to be targeting these days, the Tesla Model 3, Gordon Murray's answer was blunt: "no." He did reveal something about his other company, Gordon Murray Design, which was apparently involved in a project for an affordable electric sports car before lockdown, which he hopes will see the light of day at some point. If the lightweight ethos is carried over, considered us intrigued as well.
Surely, you'll think, there must be a trick there somewhere. You can't ask over three million dollars in this day and age for something that only produces 654 hp and 344 lb-ft (467 Nm) of torque. Yes, the Cosworth-developed V12 does rev all the way up to 12,100 rpm, making some wonderful music in the process, but that alone can't justify the price tag.
Like any other vehicle made by Murray, you can't judge the T.50 based on a few of its specs alone. You need to look at the whole package - at the fact it has a simple yet gorgeous design, that it only weighs 2,174 lbs (986kg), and everything in between. Where do Gordon Murray and his company, Gordon Murray Automotive, go from here?
Apparently, the designer has his sights set on something a bit less hardcore. The T.50 is meant to be the company's halo car, and that's not going to change too soon. Speaking to TopGear.com, Murray revealed the following model would be "more usable" and feature a "bit more conventional architecture."
Don't for one moment read that and think it'll be bland. GMA is not capable of such a thing: "the next car will always be the best car to drive in its segment or price range," Murray says. "It’ll always be the lightest car, and it’ll always be the best engineered car."
Asked about the possibility of GMA going after the one car everyone seems to be targeting these days, the Tesla Model 3, Gordon Murray's answer was blunt: "no." He did reveal something about his other company, Gordon Murray Design, which was apparently involved in a project for an affordable electric sports car before lockdown, which he hopes will see the light of day at some point. If the lightweight ethos is carried over, considered us intrigued as well.
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