The Gordon Murray T.50, billed as a spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1, has finally been revealed with what we’d consider the most impressive specs of any car in the last decade. Featuring a 1+2 layout with a center-mounted driver’s seat (just like the McLaren F1) The T.50 – despite its size – can still manage to carry between 8 and 10 cubic-feet of luggage but, more importantly, is all about the experience of driving first and foremost. And, that’s why you shouldn’t be too depressed about the fact that the T.50’s Cosworth-built V-12 only delivers 653 horsepower and 344 pound-feet of torque. That doesn’t sound like a lot in a world where 1000-horsepower hypercars are starting to become common, but there’s a lot more to this car than its power output and ground-breaking performance.

In short, Gordon Murray said it best:

How is the T.50’s Engine So Light?

2021 Gordon Murray T.50
Gordon Murray Automotive 

The big fan is driven by a 48-volt electric motor, which is in turn powered by the 48-volt starter-generator that’s gear-driven by the front of the crankshaft. During normal operation the starter-generator provides power directly to the fan, but if the car is switched into V Max Boost mode, the starter\generator is decoupled from thee engine to eliminate parasitic drag.

It should also be noted that the fan is capable of generating 33 pounds of thrust at max speed (7,000 rpm) but we’re not sure if it actually provides any boost to the car’s speed.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, we really have to give Gordon Murray credit. The T.50 was so hyped up, that it wouldn’t be hard to expect being let down, and yet here we are in sheer amazement. The T.50 could very well be the last great gasoline-powered hypercar ever made, trumping just about everything that came before it, and casting a shadow over everything that comes after. We still have so much more to say about the T.50, so be sure to check back with us soon for more in-depth coverage.



FAQ

Q: What’s Special About the T.50’s Cosworth V-12?

The real question isn’t what’s special about the Cosworth V-12, but what’s not special about it. {{This V-12 engine, which comes in at 3,994 cc or on the line of 3.9- and 4.0-liters is an absolute beast of an engine. Not because of the 653-horsepower and 344 pound-feet output, but because it can move from idle to its 12,100 rpm redline in just three-tenths of one second.}} On top of that, it’s billed as the lightest engine to ever be installed in a road-legal automobile, tipping the scales at just 392 pounds with all rotation weight of the crankshaft positioned as low as possible for a lower center of gravity.

Q: How Much Does the Gordon Murray T.50 Weight?

The T.50’s Cosworth V-12 was designed with being lightweight in mind. It all starts off with a the semi-structural V-12 design. The engine block and cylinder heads are composed of alluminum alloy while the valves and connecting rods are built from titanium. The pistons and crankshaft are made out of steel, but are designed in a way that they are as light as physically possible. Lightweight gears drive the overhead camshafts while the exhaust system is comprised of a combination between Inconel and titanium. The end result is an engine that weighs just 392 pounds and can deliver 653 horsepower or 162.743 horsepower per liter.

Q: How Big is the Gordon Murray T50?

Gordon Murray didn’t stop his light-weight journey when he commissioned Cosworth to build that 392-pound V-12. {{To put this into context, the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata at its lightest weighs between 2,341 and the Subaru BRZ tips the scales at 2,798 pounds.}} So, we’re talking about a car with 650 horsepower that lugs around less weight than either of these entry-level sports cars.

Q: What Does the Gordon Murray T50’s Fan Do?

The Gordon Murray T.50 measures 171.3-inches long, 72.8-inches wide, 45.8-inches high and rides on a 106.2-inch wheelbase. That makes it very small for a car so powerful. {{For the sake of comparison, the T.50 has a smaller footprint than the 911}}, which comes in at 177.9-inches long, 79.7-inches wide, and 51.1-inches high with a 96.5-inch wheelbase. How does the T.50 have a longer wheelbase but is shorter than the 911? You can thank how deep into the corners the T.50’s wheels sit.

Q: How Fast is the Gordon Murray T.50?

The fan on the back of the T.50 isn’t there just to be there. In fact, this is a similar design to that of the Brabham BT46, but it works in an entirely different way. The BT46’s fan was used to suck the car to the ground, while the T.50 doesn’t even have a seal to the road. Instead, {{the T.50’s fan helps to create downforce, eliminating the need to have a massive spoiler out back.}} Even without the active aero find on most cars of this caliber, the T.50’s fan is able to generate more than enough downforce.

Q: How Much Does the Gordon Murray T.50 Cost

This might irritate you a bit, but Gordon Murray has yet to release any type of speed or other performance specs for the car, so we can’t tell you how fast it gets to 60 mph or what it’s top speed is.{{ If we had to make an educated guess, based on output and weight, we’d say it can get to 60 mph in the anywhere between 2.7 and 3.4 seconds with top speed likely anywhere between 180 mph and 220 mph.}} And, since we’re here, I might as well point out that there’s a good chance that we’ll never hear official numbers as that’s not what the T.50 is about. The T.50 is about the driving experience and engagement, so the matter of how fast it gets to 60 mph or where it tops out doesn’t really matter.