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Gordon Murray Automotive T50s Niki Lauda

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Gordon Murray debuts his track only version (complete revision) of the new T50.

Gordon Murray Automotive T50s Niki Lauda

Totally optimised for racing specs:-
852kg weight,
1500kg of downforce,
12,100rpm V12 nat asp engine.
725BHP @11,500rpm,
485Nm @9,000rpm,


T.50s: The Unfair Advantage - YouTube
 

torga

Autocross Champion
Location
Seattle
Car(s)
'11 GTI

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
The more I look at this, the more amazing it looks. Lots of detailed shots in this Autoblog article.

https://www.autoblog.com/2021/02/22...wer-t-50s-niki-lauda-track-car/#slide-2297818

Its what I like about Gordon Murray...total engineering, form following function, with everything being there for a logical & functional reason. He has a total commitment to details, ..the old saying:- "the devil is in the detail".

Because details require more time & especially thought, many companies/people skimp on this & you end up with more weight, bigger cars, more "tinsel", & more fripperies, cheaper parts with limited life span...& it spirals out of control..!!

His video on the T50 with Harry Metcalf (Harrys Garage & founder of EVO magazine), is a hoot! GM talks about why he doesn't like big bling wheels, big silly lights, masses of driver aids, etc. etc..

I still have the first editions of EVO mag & the special editions of Autocar when the Maca F1 came out.....so I am bias to what the two above will say!!....Oh & I've met GM!!
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Looking back through the special editions of Autocar & EVO magazine on the Maca F1, apparently there are only three things GM would change...

1. Brakes, they apparently tried ceramic, but couldn't get them to work for general road use, so ended up using steel with hard pads..leading to high pedal pressures & squeal when cold which wasn't ideal apparently!
2. Lights, although good for the time, they later offer a Xenon upgrade, oblong shape for one with a projector Xenon which looks different to the two round factory headlights, & easy to tell those cars with the later upgrade.
3. The bracket for the engine bay light switch. This was changed from the original design after the sign off by GM, so he knew nothing about it! Apparently the engineers found that the engine cover would move (very slightly) at very high speed potentially causing the engine bay light to come on, so they moved the position of the toggle microswitch, adding a new bracket to support it & didn't tell GM!!...
 

bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
Looking back through the special editions of Autocar & EVO magazine on the Maca F1, apparently there are only three things GM would change...

1. Brakes, they apparently tried ceramic, but couldn't get them to work for general road use, so ended up using steel with hard pads..leading to high pedal pressures & squeal when cold which wasn't ideal apparently!
2. Lights, although good for the time, they later offer a Xenon upgrade, oblong shape for one with a projector Xenon which looks different to the two round factory headlights, & easy to tell those cars with the later upgrade.
3. The bracket for the engine bay light switch. This was changed from the original design after the sign off by GM, so he knew nothing about it! Apparently the engineers found that the engine cover would move (very slightly) at very high speed potentially causing the engine bay light to come on, so they moved the position of the toggle microswitch, adding a new bracket to support it & didn't tell GM!!...
Hmm, never knew about the upgraded xenons, I suppose that's what this one has?


I've seen seven F1's, certainly never seen those lights, pretty cool.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Hmm, never knew about the upgraded xenons, I suppose that's what this one has?


I've seen seven F1's, certainly never seen those lights, pretty cool.

Correct picture of them!!....

It was a later upgrade which customers wanted so they developed a retro-fit kit.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate

bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
The "standard" T50 engineering is unreal....the details of things like the 48v starter/alternator/generator package etc are seriously leading edge.

about the 36minute mark in this video...

Gordon Murray reveals the secrets to his new 663bhp T50 supercar. Better than the McLaren F1? - YouTube
Oh, I know it's cool, but the F1 just looks better and doesn't have a Dyson stuck to it. Plus it's just a simpler, more primal thing. I appreciate both and if someone wants to give me a T50, I'm not going to turn it down. But I'd always look at it and wish it were an F1 LM with center locks. But who am I kidding, if I had the garage space, I'd be totally happy with a Caterham.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Oh, I know it's cool, but the F1 just looks better and doesn't have a Dyson stuck to it. Plus it's just a simpler, more primal thing. I appreciate both and if someone wants to give me a T50, I'm not going to turn it down. But I'd always look at it and wish it were an F1 LM with center locks. But who am I kidding, if I had the garage space, I'd be totally happy with a Caterham.

If it was a Dyson it'd have anything from 8 to 32 little fans arranged in a circle to produce a cyclonic effect... ;) :ROFLMAO:

As for Caterham..I used to live near the factory...but I'd far rather have an Ariel car....Nomad..or Atom...
 
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bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
If it was a Dyson it'd have anything from 8 to 32 little fans arrange in a circle to produce a cyclonic effect... ;) :ROFLMAO:

As for Caterham..I used to live near the factory...but I'd far rather have an Ariel car....Nomad..or Atom...
Funny, I worked with a friend to become the US importer for Ariel before TMI got the contract. The Atom is just a little too primal, like a motorcycle for folks that can't commit.

The Seven is a (really bad) real car, provided you get a windscreen. I used to work in London and was walking with a few friends to the Imperial War Museum on a really rainy day (what's new) and a Caterham came through a roundabout (backwards in my mind), top down, sideways, ripped off a shift and went about his business the new direction. Since then, I've always wanted one. My old M Coupe was so easy to drive sideways, but the Seven is even better suited to it, and I'm just more comfortable in front engine cars than mid, I like being near the rear axle, not the front.

Of course, one of the S2k motored Atoms would make me delete all history of that, or the awesome twin Hyabusa V8 ones.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Of course, one of the S2k motored Atoms would make me delete all history of that, or the awesome twin Hyabusa V8 ones.

Small car, light weight & mental engine......V8 Atom....

Like the Westfield Seight.....(think Caterham but with a Rover V8)

or the Caterham Levante..500bhp supercharged 2.4lt V8 engine & full carbon fibre, 520kg kerb weight..


Again mental British cars...lightweight, drivers cars...just like what GM designs..but his are way more finessed.!!
 
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