The Gordon Murray T.50 will make its debut at the Goodwood show.
Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) has already provided samples of the sound of the naturally aspirated 3.9-liter V12 engine in its T.50 supercar, but participants at last weekend's Goodwood Members' Meeting in the UK got a more better taste of it.
GMA made a dynamic debut of the new T.50 at the annual event, held at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, with former IndyCar/NASCAR driver and current GMA development driver and spokesman Dario Franchitti at the wheel He showed off his hot laps at the wheel.
Thankfully, we have video footage of the event, complete with the sound of the T.50's engine. Spoiler alert: it sounds spectacular.
As Franchitti extends the foot of the machine, the T.50's V-12 engine screams like an early 2000s F1 car. This is thanks to a redline of 12,100 rpm, which the company claims is the highest of any production car. The company also attributes the car's great high-pitched sound to the fact that there is no forced induction and the ram air intake is mounted directly behind the driver's head.
The engine was developed by Cosworth, which previously supplied the F1 power unit, and features a 48-volt mild hybrid system with peak output of 654 hp and maximum torque of 344 lb-ft. These figures are not the world's best for a recent supercar, though, Keep in mind that the T.50 weighs 2,174 pounds, about 200 pounds lighter than the Miata. This lightness is also thanks to the engine, which weighs only 392 pounds.
GMA is not interested in chasing numbers. Rather than setting a top speed record or a Nürburgring lap time, the T.50 was developed to be the ultimate analog supercar. Therefore, the V-12 engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission that most competitors have abandoned.
The T.50 will almost certainly be a pleasure to drive. During the test drive, Murray squealed the tires at only 3,000 rpm. At high speeds, the T.50 uses trick aerodynamic aids, including a fan inspired by Murray's 1978 Brabham BT46B "fun car" F1 racer.
Only 125 T.50 Supercars will be built for the 2020 launch, including 100 road cars and 25 T.50s Niki Lauda track cars.
Despite the $3 million price tag, these are all gone; there may be a chance to get a more affordable GMA supercar with the T.50's V12 engine but a new chassis.