2023 Gordon Murray Automotive T.50

The price of the 2023 Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 coupe is £2.36 million before local taxes - or roughly an MSRP of £2.8 million in the UK. Based on exchange rates at the time of writing, that translates to a cost of just under $3.5 million, making it one of the most expensive cars in the world.

There aren't many other hypercars offering the same level of exclusivity, and none with the T.50's insane combination of power mixed with a ridiculously lightweight body. In fact, it's arguable that this car has no rivals at all, but there are other ways to burn a few million bucks.

Another exotic that is even rarer and goes for similar money is the Koenigsegg CC850; it differs with its twin-turbo V8 and mind-bending transmission that can operate both as an automatic and a manual. The Ferrari Daytona SP3 has a naturally-aspirated V12 like the T.50, but it revs to "only" 9,500 rpm, and the SP3 is - wait for it - over 1,000 pounds heavier than the T.50.

As with the T.33, the exterior design of the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 is intentionally free of the outlandish vents, wings, and skirts that adorn many extreme hypercars. Gordon Murray prefers simpler, more timeless lines, something that has seen his McLaren F1 age so gracefully through the decades.

That's not to say that the T.50 isn't a head-turning vehicle, especially when the dihedral doors are open. What stands out about the design is the manner in which the central driving position is emphasized from the outside: the exceptionally narrow hood leads into the large windscreen, through which the center seat and steering wheel are clearly visible, especially when the seat is finished in a vibrant color. That leads to the cold-air ram induction intake above the driver's head, and culminates in one of the design's craziest features: the rear-mounted fan. This 15.7-inch fan has aerodynamic benefits pioneered by Gordon Murray in the late 70s on the iconic Formula 1 fan car, which effectively turned the motorsport world on its head temporarily. In this application, it helps to accelerate air passing beneath the car, thereby forcing the air through the active control ducts that are integrated into the rear diffuser.

Overall, the T.50 has some of the most advanced aerodynamics of any comparable car. There are two active spoilers at the back that work in tandem with the fan to either increase downforce or reduce drag depending on requirements. The fan itself is driven by a 48-volt motor, and the overall fan aero system has six modes. In High Downforce Mode, for example, downforce is increased by 50% as the fan spools up and the rear spoiler deploys.

In front, there are high-intensity LED headlights that echo those equipped to the legendary McLaren F1. Moving to the back, there are attractive LED taillights with a circular design and dual exhaust outlets within a black grille with a distinctive elongated-hexagon pattern. The car rides on forged aluminum alloy wheels measuring 19 inches in front and 20 inches at the back, and they're wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The Cosworth GMA V12 can be viewed below the twin rear gullwing openings, just as it should be.

We don't know what the complete list of exterior colors will be for the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50, but for something so expensive and exclusive, we'd be surprised if customers were not presented with almost any color they wish.

Despite its immense power, this is a compact hypercar that has a footprint that is roughly equivalent to a Porsche Boxster. The dimensions of the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 include a length of 171.3 inches, a width of 72.8 inches, and a low height of 45.8 inches. The wheelbase comes in at 106.3 inches.

But what is truly remarkable about this car is its weight, which is almost a third of comparable supercars. GMA quotes a total weight of 2,174 lbs and a dry weight of just 2,110 lbs. Considering the lightest Mazda MX-5 Miata comes in at 2,341 lbs, you will get a clearer picture of what GMA has achieved with this car.

How has this feathery weight been achieved? Well, the T.50 has carbon fiber body panels and a carbon monocoque, and its body weighs under 330 lbs, including these components. The windscreen is 28% thinner than a normal glass windscreen, and the engine is the lightest road-going V12 ever at only 392 lbs.

It all contributes to an astounding weight-to-power ratio of 332 lbs per 100 PS (98.6 hp), whereas for a normal supercar, GMA says this ratio is closer to 463 lbs per 100 PS.

Gordon Murray Automotive is proud of the fact that the engine in the T.50 has no turbocharger or electric assistance. Instead, the naturally-aspirated V12 delivers its full power with pure displacement and engineering ingenuity. Although GMA states that the mill is a 3.9-liter on its website, the spec sheet has an exact capacity of 3,994 cc, so it's actually closer to a 4.0-liter.

Developed by Cosworth, the 65-degree V12 produces even more power than initially stated, with GMA recently confirming an output of 656 hp for the production car. Torque works out to 344 lb-ft at a laughable 9,000 rpm, illustrating the mill's sheer appetite for high revs. In fact, the V12 will only reach its red line at 12,100 rpm. At 164 hp per liter, the engine has the highest power density of any road-going V12, and it's also the lightest V12 thanks to materials like titanium that have been used in its construction.

Despite the high revs required to hit the torque peak, the engine is actually remarkably tractable, with 71% of the torque peak delivered at 2,500 rpm. The cold-air ram induction inlet on the roof is responsible for feeding the V12 with air.

GMA also says the engine's soundtrack is one of its best attributes, with Direct Path Induction Sound engineering channeling the sound into the cabin for a riveting aural symphony. But for all its high-end theatrics, GMA also wanted the car to be perfectly drivable on normal roads, so it has a GT Mode that limits the engine speed to 9,500 rpm and the power output to 592 horses, making the car easier to drive at slower speeds. Additionally, the big fan at the rear end only kicks in at higher speeds, so in-traffic conditions can be dealt with in a more sedate way.

Coupled with the extraordinary V12 is a six-speed manual gearbox, allowing the driver full control over the engine. Designed by Xtrac, the H-pattern manual has a short throw, and the first five ratios are designed for maximum acceleration, with the sixth ratio for cruising.

Previous performance specs indicate that the 0-62 mph time of the T.50 is around 2.8 seconds, with a top speed of 217 mph. There are faster hypercars than this one, but GMA cares more about driver engagement than speed records.

Part of what will make the T.50 so great to drive is, of course, its exceptionally low weight. To engender a more natural driving experience, GMA has equipped rack-and-pinion steering that is unassisted at higher speeds, but there is low-speed power assistance for easier maneuverability at parking speeds. Double wishbone suspension is equipped at both ends of the body, and this is made from forged aluminum alloy.

Because the body and chassis are formed from carbon fiber entirely, the car's structure is very rigid, with no additional bracing required. The semi-structural engine is mounted to the chassis, and it sits low in the body to help lower the overall center of gravity. It all combines to deliver a car with agile handling, yet with an approachability that makes it usable outside of a race track, too.

A Brembo braking system helps to bring the T.50 to a stop in the shortest possible distance, and these have six-piston front calipers and four-piston calipers at the back. The fan also aids in stopping power: Under hard braking, 'Braking Mode' activates the rear spoilers to a 45-degree angle and, together with the fan, can increase downforce to shorten braking distance by as much as 33 feet.

The gas mileage of such an exotic fades into irrelevancy, but we can't imagine a combined rating of much more than 13 mpg or so. At least there is a fairly large 21.1-gallon gas tank.

The party piece of the interior in the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 is its F1-style central driving position, flanked by two smaller seats on either side, making this a three-seater supercar.

The layout of the interior is refreshingly simple, with a traditional analog tachometer and chunky physical controls for things like the lights and climate settings, eliminating the need to spend any more time than necessary making adjustments while on the move. Ingress and egress are improved thanks to wide door openings, and because the carbon fiber monocoque enables the torsion beams to be positioned outside the chassis instead of in the center of the passenger compartment, there is a usefully flat floor.

There will also be no worries about the driving position, since each customer will be able to visit GMA for a unique fitting - think of it as a tailor for your car - with adjustments made to the seat, steering wheel, and pedal box for each unique driver. The two smaller passenger seats in the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 are designed to blend in with the rest of the vehicle, giving more visual prominence to the center driver's perch.

Tactility is a key consideration, with no touchscreens in sight, and the three-spoke carbon fiber steering wheel is devoid of unnecessary buttons. On the driver's right is the titanium gearstick with a rounded knob - again a refreshingly simple piece of design.

Driving home the message that this is a car for everyday use, the cargo space in the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 works out to 10.2 cubic feet with two occupants, or just over eight cubes with three occupants. Those are decent numbers for what is a very compact supercar. The vertical-load luggage compartments are positioned within the left and right haunches at the rear of the car, so there isn't one large space for cargo, but two smaller ones.

Inside, there are five compartments for smaller items that add up to just over a cubic foot of space in total, including a space above each passenger's footrest.

The simplistic interior isn't entirely with some modern conveniences, though, as customers can hook up their devices to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, displayed on a small screen in the vicinity of the tachometer. An Arcam 10-speaker sound system is equipped, too.