Speedtail

Make
McLaren
Segment
Coupe

Gordon Murray is best known for designing the McLaren F1. More recently, he set up his own car company aptly named Gordon Murray Automotive to develop the T.50, an old-school analog supercar with a high-revving, naturally-aspirated 3.9-liter V12 that sends power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. Like the McLaren Speedtail, the driver sits in a central driving position.

Before setting up the automotive division, the legendary designer also founded Gordon Murray Design, which pioneered a new revolutionary design and manufacturing process called iStream that makes extensive use of carbon fiber and lowers the cost of vehicle production. While the technology can be applied to everything from an electric quadricycle and mid-engined sports car to a large luxury SUV or commercial vehicle, iStream also has the potential to make electric cars faster, more efficient, and cheaper.

Murray's unique iStream manufacturing processes can reduce the weight of a typical family car by over 20 percent while reducing the number of components required for body panels by over 50 percent. Its more rigid constriction also brings "benefits for safety, refinement and chassis dynamics, and outstanding durability."

To showcase flexibility of the iStream architecture, Gordon Murray Design has presented a new electric concept called the Motiv concept that uses the iStream architecture. Developed in collaboration with Innovate UK, it weighs less than 400 kg. Technically, the Motiv is classed as a Quadricycle, yet it complies with the same crash regulations as mainstream passenger cars. The battery pack is also twice as large as batteries in similar vehicles, providing a range of 140 miles. The battery can be charged from ten to 80 percent in only 40 minutes.

"iStream's expanded portfolio means that it is now the answer to many questions for many mobility companies," said Jean-Philippe Launberg, Strategy and Business Director at Gordon Murray Design. "Not least how do you keep the weight of an electric vehicle to a minimum? Our innovative manufacturing processes delivers many benefits for automotive manufacturers wanting to create, develop and make low- to mid-volume cars and commercial vehicles that can't be profitably manufactured with their existing methodologies and footprint. It's a unique and cost-effective way for global manufacturers to improve performance and efficiency in a sustainable way.

"There are also many benefits outside of the automotive sector and we are now in advanced discussions with aviation companies looking at next-generation electric cargo drones and light aircraft. It enables production efficiencies which are not usual in that industry. Our iStream technologies will be perfectly suited to their future plans."