Watch: The Gordon Murray T.50 Test Car Screams Around the Track at 12,000 RPM

We've heard the 3.9-liter V12 before, and even watched it do a simulated lap at Le Mans whilst it was hooked up to an engine dynomometer. And we've watched Sir Gordon Murray himself pilot the car around a racetrack at pedestrian speeds, but we've never had the chance to see this.

This lap isn't in the actual T.50 itself but it IS the test mule used for the drivetrain of the upcoming hypercar. That includes the wild 12,000 rpm V12 as well as the six-speed gearbox. It even includes the T.50 intake system to ensure the most accurate behavior on the track.

Behind the wheel is legendary racer Dario Franchitti. While it might just be a clever trick of editing, watching him barely smirk in approval as the engine is woken up is almost comical. Think of the way you react when you see a slightly impressive water bottle flip. That's the face he makes when more than 650 horspower is ignited behind his head.

As he rips around the racetrack it's clear that this test mule, affectionately named George, is unlike anything we've seen or heard before in the hypercar world. To say that it sounds much like a Formula One car might be a disservice to it because it feels even more raw.

Once out of the car the truth of the matter comes out. He says "it is the best engine I've ever driven," and the look in his eyes when he says it drives home the sincerity of that moment. He is sincerely gobsmacked at just how fast it is and how it feels as it forces him into the seat.

Gordon can't fit in the mule but it sounds like the T.50 test mule itself will be ready for driving at full RPMs very soon. We can't wait to see that test.