Gordon Murray says the V12 T.50 eliminates the things that ruin most supercars
- Gordon Murray is one of the most revered figures in motorsport history
- The South-African born Brit has designed some of F1’s greatest cars
- Murray has also ventured into making his own cars
Published on Apr 16, 2025 at 4:34 PM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Apr 17, 2025 at 9:53 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Gordon Murray is a name revered within the highest of motorsport circles.
The South-African born Brit is responsible for designing some of the greatest F1 cars of all time.
Following his F1 designing days, Murray struck out on his own, designing limited edition supercars.
And he claims that his V12 T.50 has something other supercars don’t.
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Gordon Murray: The man who changed the F1 world
For some, the mention of Gordon Murray needs no further context.
However, it is important for people to understand just how influential and important he actually is.
Born in Durban, South Africa to Scottish immigrant parents, Murray moved to England in 1969.
Initially hoping to get a job with Lotus, Murray managed to get himself a job with Brabham Racing Developments.
Future F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone would take over the team – and he made Murray Chief Designer.
From 1973 to 1985, Murray-designed Brabham cars would score 22 Formula 1 race wins.
The team would finish second in the Constructors’ Championship in 1975 and 1981 and Brazilian ace Nelson Piquet would win two Drivers’ Championship with Brabham in 1981 and 1983.
Murray makes the move to McLaren
Murray’s exceptional work with Brabham eventually drew the attention of rivals.
In particular, McLaren Team Principal Ron Dennis made an offer to Murray to join their F1 team in 1986 – an offer he accepted.
In 1988, Murray designed the McLaren MP4/4, widely considered to be one of the greatest F1 cars ever made.
It won 15 of the 16 races that season, and powered the legendary Ayrton Senna to his first Drivers’ Championship.
Murray’s designs from 1988-1991 won McLaren four consecutive Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles.
Alain Prost would win in 1989, whilst Senna would go back-to-back in 1990 and 1991.
In 1992, after venturing into designing supercars, Murray would oversee the iconic McLaren F1 project.
Even more than 30 years later, it’s still considered to be one of the greatest supercars ever built.
Murray’s T.50 solves supercar issues?
In 2017, the Brit established Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA), his own firm.
And in 2020, Murray announced the T.50 supercar project.
It received rave reviews upon release, including winning GQ’s 2021 Hypercar of the Year award.
Despite having a beast of a naturally aspirated, V12 engine, as well as a literal fan at the back, it’s incredibly practical.
For one thing, the Murray T.50 will get you almost 30mpg – unheard of for a supercar.
It also comes with practical ground clearance, so speed bumps aren’t a fatal enemy.
The T.50 also comes with two protective chins for the front lip.
This means that, should you scrape or damage it, you simply have to replace a chin instead of removing an entire bumper.
Murray noted that running costs are often a huge hindrance to supercar owners.
As a result, he wanted the T.50 to be fixable at a much more reasonable cost.
We applaud and salute the legendary Gordon Murray and his brilliant hypercar.
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Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
