Gordon Murray Automotive - GMA - T50

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Wed 5 Aug 2020 20:14
Gordon Murray Automotive - GMA - T50 - daveyjp

Almost 30 years since the McLaren F1 Gordon Murray has now launched what will probably be his last hurrah.

https://gordonmurrayautomotive.com/en/

At £3m and just 100 to be built, plus a few for the track, its not something most of us will get anywhere near, but it has been designed as what he sees as the ultimate drivers car.

Brand new 4.0 Cosworth V12. Less than 1,000 kg, manual gearbox, no ancilliary belts in the engine, No spoilers, no real sense of its capabilities until you see the back and ask 'what's that'?

He has no idea how powerful it is, or how fast it will go because he isn't interested in performance in terms of speed. It has all been designed with the driver in mind and its a GT car, not a crazy sports car, so there is room for your luggage!

There are also a few videos on youtube where he speaks more about his design philosophy and how it was applied to a car which if it increases in value like the F1 will be a £100m+ car in 30 years time,

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 5 Aug 2020 20:53
Gordon Murray Automotive - GMA - T50 - badbusdriver

As much as i admire the ethos behind the T50 (which is basically the same as the F1), i'm more interested in his more down to earth designs, like the T25/27 city car (which sadly no manufacturer would take on).

But i have a real soft spot for the OX flatpack truck, specifically designed to be affordable, simple, versatile and as capable as possible for developing countries.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 6 Aug 2020 19:22
Gordon Murray Automotive - GMA - T50 - daveyjp

A highly evolved version of the F1 demonstarting how Murray's thinking, automotive design and manufacturing techniques have evolved over 30 years.

The engine in itself looks a work of art, but it is designed to ensure its presence does not affect the handling.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 7 Aug 2020 14:58
Gordon Murray Automotive - GMA - T50 - mcb100

The car really is a work of art, being free of fiddly aerodynamic bits, but it does look to have a very lofty ride height. We'll see if that changes once testing and development has taken place.

It's also a real antidote to the current 2 tonne supercars, which are a complete nonsense.

I did notice on the spec sheet it has a 48V Integrated Starter Generator, so some hybrid assistance. The V12 will also rev from 0-12,100 rpm in 0.3 seconds....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 7 Aug 2020 16:41
Gordon Murray Automotive - GMA - T50 - daveyjp

The starter generator is more about having a 48v system to run the rear fan and standalone aircon system.

It also removes the need for any belt driven ancilliaries which are heavy and bulky.

No traditional starter motor, no alternator(s), no aircon compressor and no belts to change or adjust.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 7 Aug 2020 17:04
Gordon Murray Automotive - GMA - T50 - mcb100

That makes sense.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

We give you the low down on how to save on insurance, little-known tricks and tips, what insurance groups mean and how to use insurance aggregators to beat insurers.

Insurance group finder and how to save on insurance

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide