Just a month after unveiling his T.50 supercar, Gordon Murray is back with an even lighter and more powerful version designed for racing.
For those not satisfied with a $3.1 million vehicle with 663 horsepower and which weighs only 2,173 pounds, the racing version of the car weighs just 1,962 pounds, extracts as much as 730 horsepower from its Cosworth-developed V12 engine, and costs nearly $4.12 million.
The racing version also comes with aerodynamic features, including a 69¼-inch rear delta wing and other devices to, according to Gordon Murray Automotive, generate 3,306 pounds of track-gripping downforce.
“Designing the racing car’s aerodynamics has been extremely rewarding,” Murray said in the news release. “My love for motorsport really fueled the development of this car. The aerodynamics are so effective that the T.50s would be capable of driving upside down, and could do so at as little as 175 mph.”
“We’ve changed hundreds of parts to optimize the car for racing and track use,” Murray, who also revealed that all 100 examples of the T.50 road car sold out within 48 hours of its announcement.
Only 25 of the track versions will be built, Gordon Murray Automotive added, and the “historically significant” official name will be announced later this year when the actual car is revealed.
“With an unwavering focus on performance, and free from road-going legislation and maintenance considerations, the T.50s will achieve astonishing performance on track, demonstrating the full extent of the car’s capabilities,” Murray said. “We’ve thrown everything at pushing this car beyond the levels of anything that’s been done before – it’s a celebration of British engineering and our team’s extensive motorsport experience.”
Murray previously designed Formula One racing cars and such road cars as the McLaren F1.
“With no noise or emission legislation to contend with, we could unleash the full potential of the GMA V12 engine and its 12,100 rpm,” Murray said. “More than 50 components have been changed in the engine alone, and the power can top 730 horsepower when factoring in the new ram-air induction system.”
Murray also said he hopes to organize a series of racing events for customers, “to ensure the T.50s is driven regularly by owners. There will be nothing like the experience of driving this car. And hearing it… well, that will be something else!”
