Gordon Murray’s T.50 will go racing in a class of its own
Gordon Murray turned his McLaren F1 into a Le Mans-winning race car and now the British professor of speed’s new T.50 hypercar is set to get the track treatment.
Set for launch in 2023, the race version—codenamed T.50s—offers more power, more speed, more grip, and even less weight than the sold-out road version.
The mighty Cosworth V-12 features revised cylinder heads and camshafts, a higher compression ratio, and a free-flow exhaust. Coupled with a ram-air system it produces 720 hp in track trim and revs to a heady 12,100 rpm.
To speed up gearshifts the road car’s manual transmission has been ditched in favor of a six-speed Instantaneous Gearchange System by Xtrac, operated by paddles on the Formula 1-style rectangular steering wheel.
The T.50s has even more advanced aerodynamics than the street car, with a delta wing, underbody aerofoil, and adjustable diffusers. Working in conjunction with the car’s unique rear fan, the T.50s generates over 3000 pounds of downforce.
Murray claims the aero package and carbon ceramic discs with six-piston calipers produce up to 3 g under braking. Michelin Cup Sport 2 tires on magnesium alloy wheels provide plenty of cornering grip. The race car rides 1.5 inches lower than the road car, too.
The interior is stripped of all comforts and loses a seat, meaning you’ll only be able to take one brave passenger for a ride at a time.
Just 25 of the $4.1 million machines will be built and half are already accounted for. Unlike its predecessor the T.50s isn’t eligible for any current race series, so Murray is in talks with Stéphane Ratel of SRO Motorsports to run a race program. Should that happen buyers will get a full support package within the asking price.
