This Is Arguably the Coolest V12 Ever Created, the GMA T.50’s Cosworth Engine

Murray’s ambition to manufacture the most outstanding road vehicle ever created did not stop with the success of his McLaren F1, and among other projects, he continued designing a successor that would come even closer to automotive perfection.

He established his own company, Gordon Murray Automotive, and set out to create the T.50, a vehicle that would amaze everyone yet again with its unparalleled performance, lightweight construction, and innovative design.

There was no question in Murray’s mind about the engine. Just like the F1, the new car would also be powered by a traditional V12. That meant it would not make use of electric motors or any form of forced induction.

Since BMW, the manufacturer that supplied the original V12 of the McLaren F1 has stopped developing such engines, the South African-born designer would have to look elsewhere for the perfect power unit, so he chose one of the most prestigious engine manufacturers in the world, British specialists Cosworth.

The task at hand seemed impossible, even for the folks at Cosworth. The goal was to create a high-powered, high-revving, compact V12 that would weigh as little as possible, all without using any type of forced induction.

The result exceeds expectations and is without a doubt a marvel of engineering. A 3.9-liter V12 with an output of 663 PS (488 kW; 654 hp) at 11,500rpm, on its way to a 12,100rpm redline. The maximum torque of 467Nm is produced at 9,000rpm, while the pick-up is a record-breaking and mind-blowing 28,400 revs per second.

This gives the powerplant the highest power density of any normally aspirated, road-going V12, 166 PS-per-liter. It is also the lightest ever manufactured at just 178 kg. (393 lbs.) thanks to the innovative combination of lightweight materials used.

To achieve this weight, the engine block is made from a high-strength aluminum alloy, and the connecting rods, valves, and clutch housing are made from titanium. To deliver the ultimate driving experience the engine was designed to have the lowest possible center of gravity. The challenge was reducing the crank height, a goal achieved by the Cosworth team by positioning it just 85mm from the bottom of the engine.

Murray was determined that the engine should not use any kind of belts, so the unit only uses gears to drive the auxiliaries that are carefully positioned out of sight, resulting in a clean and uncluttered engine bay.

The unit has a semi-structural role within the chassis, providing much of the rigidity and weight saving to the T.50 while avoiding the noise, vibration, and overall harshness typically found with fully structural engines.

As part of the early development process, the team of engineers managed to surpass efficiency and emissions requirements and completed plans for two engine maps.

This translates into two driver-selectable modes that ensure the T.50 can be equally adept as a high-performance machine that delivers the ultimate driver experience and as a daily driver that can be easily maneuvered through the city.

The GT mode, limits revs to 9,500rpm and with 600PS available, while the Power mode unleashes the full capability of the powerplant.

The GMA T.50 promises to be the best sounding car of them all by using an advanced titanium exhaust system inspired by those found on racecars. The engineers also incorporated the innovative Direct Path Induction Sound technology, which channels the sound into the cabin in such a way that the driver feels connected to the engine.

Gordon Murray states that: “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.”

The GMA T.50 is expected to be available in 2022 with production being limited to 100 units hand-built at the Surrey plant in South East England. They were all sold within 48 hours of the car’s global premiere for about $3.2 million each.