Gordon Murray is a living legend in the automotive world. His amazing career includes designing Formula One cars, including an impressive stint at McLaren in the late 1980s and early ’90s. He also played a pivotal role in the creation of the McLaren F1 supercar. More recently, he launched Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) to build his own vehicles, and the results have been among the more stunning offerings in the segment.
Base Trim Engine
4.0L V12 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
6-speed Manual
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
656 hp
Base Trim Torque
344 lb-ft@9,000 rpm
Fuel Economy
TBC
0-60 MPH
N/A
GMA will have a big presence at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, running from July 9-12. The most significant debut for the company will be showing the first T.50s Niki Lauda customer-ready, production car there. It’ll also have the S1 LM design model, Le Mans GTR XP1, and T.33 Spider VP12 on display there. The latter two vehicles and the Niki Lauda car will make runs at the Goodwood Hill, too.
The First GMA T.50s Niki Lauda Customer Car
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50s Niki Lauda Chassis 1 Production CarGordon Murray Automotive
The look of the T.50s Niki Lauda chassis 1 pays homage to the look of the Brabham BT44 that scored Murray’s first Formula One victory at the 1974 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. The body wears a South African flag‑inspired stripe over a silver-ish body. The gloss black race number 7 on the rear flanks is a reference to Carlos Reutemann’s race‑winning car.
Compared to the road-going T.50, the T.50s has thinner bodywork, no air conditioning, and no stereo, resulting in a vehicle that only weighs 1,985 pounds. The 3.9-liter V12 makes 772 hp, instead of the standard 654 hp. The engine hooks up to an Xtrac six-speed paddle-shift gearbox.
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50s Niki Lauda Chassis 1 Production CarGordon Murray Automotive
GMA plans to make 25 examples of the track-only T.50s, and all of them already have buyers at around $4.1 million each. Each of them gets a name commemorating the dates of his first 24 Grand Prix wins at different circuits. The 25th title pays homage to the McLaren F1’s overall victory at Le Mans in 1995.
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During the final production testing, GMA test driver Dario Franchitti clocked the T.50s Niki Lauda around the Bahrain International Raceway in 1 minute 53.03 seconds, which was seven seconds quicker than the GT3 lap record around the course.
“In just six years since we unveiled the T.50, the team has designed, developed, manufactured and delivered 100 customer cars to owners around the world. We’ve also started building T.50s, while T.33 and T.33 Spider are well through development, ahead of production.”
– Professor Gordon Murray
More Of GMA At Goodwood
GMSV S1 LM parkedGordon Murray Special Vehicles
Goodwood will also host the European debut of the GMA S1 LM design model (above). The $20-million machine packs a 4.3-liter V12 making over 690 horsepower. The Cosworth-developed engine features exotic parts such as silicon carbide-coated pistons, titanium valves, and titanium connecting rods. GMA is only building five examples of the S1 LM, so seeing one at Goodwood is a special opportunity.
The GMA Le Mans GTR XP1 prototype will be there, too. The teaser from last year indicates this is a racing-inspired version of the T.50. It features a track-focused body, with Murray saying the exterior design takes inspiration from longtail racers like the Porsche 917, Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3, and Matra-Simca MS660. While the model is road-legal, the setup includes compromises for daily usability with a suspension tune that’s more for the circuit than the highway. GMA intends to make 24 of them.
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This one is said to be a one-off, potentially kicking off several similar projects.
GMA will also give the T.33 Spider validation prototype its global debut at Goodwood. The company first showed a pre-production model in 2023. As the name implies, it’s a roofless version of the T.33 with the addition of boxy nacelles behind the seats and a periscope intake between the headrests.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
GMSV Le Mans GTR at The Quail, Monterey Car Week.Brett Evans/CarBuzz/Valnet
GMA has quickly established itself as a legitimate supercar maker. The company is clearly using this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed as a significant showcase for the brand. The GTR XP1 and S1 LM prototypes illustrate that the company still has a small group of buyers who want GMA’s most boutique creations. Meanwhile, the T.33 Spider is a little more mainstream, even if it’s still sure to carry a six-figure price. Still, we can’t wait to hear them at Goodwood.
