Speedtail

Make
McLaren
Segment
Coupe

At a crucial time when most car companies are embracing electrification, the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 is a stubbornly old-school supercar. With its advanced aerodynamics, a central driving position, and a glorious naturally-aspirated 3.9-liter V12 that generates 654 horsepower and 344 lb-ft of torque and screams all the way to 12,100 rpm, the T.50 is a true spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1.

Modern supercars like the new Ferrari 812 Competizione, which also has a naturally-aspirated V12, may have more power, but the T.50 is much lighter than the competition, tipping the scales at 2,174 pounds. With the man who designed the McLaren F1 at the helm, the T.50 was always going to be something special. But he isn't finished. Auto Express has learned that work on Gordon Murray's next V12 masterpiece has already begun.

Gordon Murray's next car, currently known as Project Two, will ditch the T.50's central driving position and three-seat layout in favor of a more conventional two-seat layout. As a result, it will ride on an entirely new platform. "The T.50 was a unique monocoque because of the fan and the central driving position, and it's very difficult to take that and adapt it to a two-seater," said Murray. While other automakers are abandoning twelve-cylinder engines to reduce costs and adhere to emissions targets, the Project Two will be powered by the same V12 as the T.50. Sadly, this will be Murray's last naturally-aspirated car.

"We've looked very long and hard at future regulations, the emissions targets, and we can get one more normally aspirated car - not just a non-hybrid, but a non-turbocharged. With the money that it cost us to build the V12 and the transmission for scratch, we've got to try to get a little bit back."

Since it's positioned below the T.50, Project Two will likely have less power on tap. This means it will be cheaper than the T.50, which costs around $3 million. Despite this, all 100 examples have been sold. Don't expect Project Two to be affordable, however - every car Gordon Murray produces will be limited to 100 examples, so it will still have a seven-figure price tag. "If you're doing only a hundred cars, they're not going to be £150,000," he told us. "But I promise that T.50 will be our halo car. We're not going to be at the same level [of cost] with Project Two."

Project Two is expected to arrive either in 2023 or 2024 after every T.50 and track-only T.50s Niki Lauda have been built. After the production of the naturally-aspirated Project Two wraps up, GMA will develop hybrid and electric powertrains.