McLaren F1 Designer Reveals the Gordon Murray T.50 Supercar

McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray has officially revealed a new limited edition three-seater T.50 supercar said to have the world’s lightest and highest-revving 3.9-liter V12 engine in the world.

Legendary car designer Gordon Murray is no stranger to extreme car design, with 20 years’ experience in Formula 1 and cars like the iconic McLaren F1 in his portfolio. Now he’s finally had the opportunity to apply all his industry knowledge to his own supercar, namely the T.50, of which only 100 vehicles will made.

Described by Gordon Murray as his “ultimate car design,” the T.50 is the 50th car design penned by himself over his 50-year career and is said to improve on his acclaimed McLaren F1 “in every conceivable way.”

Scheduled to be built at Gordon Murray’s Automotive Production Center in Surrey, UK, the new T.50 has been created as “engineering art,” and like the McLaren F1, features dihedral doors and a three-seat design with the driver’s seat positioned centrally.

“With the design of our T.50 supercar, we are taking the same focused approach that was applied to the design of the McLaren F1”, shared Gordon Murray. “Thanks to modern materials and 30 years of development, we have been able to deliver a far better all-round car in the T50, while setting its weight at just 986kg, a full 150kg lighter than the F1.”

Created with a carbon-fiber monocoque body, the T.50 weighs just 2,174 pounds / 986kgs (which is around 1/3 less than the average supercar) and is powered by a 100% bespoke 3.9-liter V12 engine that is the worlds lightest and highest-revving V12 engine to date.
Producing 663PS @ 11,500rpm and 467Nm of torque @ 9,000rpm, the Cosworth developed engine also features dry-sump oiling to prevent oil starvation in hard cornering, a feature that will be appreciated given the T.50’s power and grip.

With a central focus on light-weight design, Gordon Murray’s Formula 1 experience shows in the streamlined design of the T.50 supercar with every gram accounted for and all unneeded vents, wings and flaps removed to create what Gordon Murray describes as the most advanced aerodynamics ever seen on a car.

“Next-level aerodynamics allow us to avoid the current supercar trend for exaggerated wings, vents, and ducts. I was determined to create a clean and pure shape that would remain timeless, ensuring the T50 will still look fresh in 30 years.”

The proportions, size, and styling are also something Gordon Murray is 100% happy with, noting that the vehicle can carry three passengers, luggage, and the V12 engine comfortably while keeping under 1000kgs.

A stand-out feature of the T.50 is undoubtedly the giant 15.7-inch central fan at the rear of the vehicle, designed to achieve unmatched aerodynamic performance combined with the underbody aerodynamics and two dynamic rear spoilers.

First used on Murray’s F1 design, the fan-assisted aerodynamic system improves on conventional ground-effect systems by actively managing both underbody and overbody airflow.

This boundary layer control ensures the most effective interaction of airflow on top of, and below the car, balancing drag and downforce at all speeds.

Through the application of two automatic and four driver-selected aero modes, the T.50 is capable of increasing downforce by 50%, reducing drag by 12.5%, and cutting the braking distance by 10m from 150mph.

T50 Drive Modes

Auto Mode: is the car’s default setting. In this mode, the T.50 operates like an ordinary supercar with passive ground-effect downforce.

Braking Mode: automatically deploys the rear spoilers to their maximum (+45 degree) angle when high levels of deceleration are required. The fan also operates simultaneously at high speed while the diffuser valves open. This function can double downforce, enhancing stability and grip, and shortening the 150mph-to-0mph braking distance by a full 10 meters.
If sudden deceleration is required, and when aerodynamics could influence stopping distance, Braking Mode overrides all other modes.

High Downforce Mode: is driver selectable and delivers enhanced traction – in this mode, the rear spoilers deploy at +10 degrees, diffuser valves open, and the fan spools up to increase downforce by 50%.

Streamline mode: cuts drag by 12.5% and boosts straight-line speed while also reducing fuel consumption and downforce. In this mode, the rear spoilers deploy to -10 degrees reducing base suction and drag. The diffuser valves close partially, stalling the diffuser and reducing downforce, which saves wheel travel to make the car more comfortable and efficient. It also sets the fan to operate at high speed, drawing air from the top deck to minimize drag while extending the trailing wake of the car, creating a ‘virtual longtail’ and producing 15kg of thrust.

V-Max Boost: is the most extreme T.50 mode. It uses the characteristics of Streamline Mode, then uses the car’s 48-volt integrated starter-generator to drive the fan – freeing up power to the driveshaft. Combined with the ram-air induction, this boosts power to 700PS for short bursts of acceleration.

Test Mode: operates when the car is stationary and is driver-selected. The fan spools up to its maximum 7,000rpm, the twin rear spoilers cycle through their full range of movement and the diffuser ducts / valves progressively open and close before returning to their rest position.

As a limited edition model, each customer will be given first viewing of the vehicle design and will be invited for a seat, steering wheel, and pedals fitting session to set their car up to fit them perfectly. Throughout the build, clients will be kept informed and will have the option of visiting their vehicle. Once completed, owners will be offered tailored experiences and have access to a service network and “flying technician.”

Only 100 Gordon Murray T.50’s will be built at a starting price of £2.36m (before taxes) with production scheduled for January 2022.