Gordon Murray Automotive has revealed the T.50s ‘Niki Lauda’, an extreme, limited run, track-only variant of the T.50 hypercar, which is designed to offer an uncompromising experience.
The even more hardcore variant of the T.50, which is named after the legendary three-time F1 champion and is unveiled on his birthday, has been in development in parallel with its road-going sibling and will be built in just 25 examples, once production of the 100 road-going T.50 models is completed in January 2023.
Read Also: Here Are Five Reasons Why The Gordon Murray T.50 Is So Special
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More powerful V12 spins up to 12,100 rpm
The new GMA T.50s weighs just 1,878 lbs (852 kg), down from the T.50’s 2,174 lbs (986 kg), which is combined with a more powerful version of the naturally aspirated 3.9-liter V12 engine that now produces 725 HP ( up from 654 HP) and can rev up to a stratospheric 12,100 rpm.
This beast of an engine is fed through a roof-mounted RAM induction box and comes with a bespoke straight-through exhaust system with thinner Inconel walls, features completely revised cylinder heads and camshafts, and is now bolted to a newly designed X-Trac six-speed paddle-shift transmission.
“In my view, it doesn’t get better than that and is driving in its purest form,” said Gordon Murray. “The T.50s Niki Lauda will give a visceral connection between driver, car, and track, the like of which has not been experienced to date.”
“I can just imagine going round your favorite circuit, sitting in the middle with that unsilenced V12 screaming just behind you – the driving experience will be something special. With a power to weight ratio better than that of a naturally aspirated LMP1 car, it is also going to be searingly quick and, with such a low weight, will change direction like an F1 car,” Murray added.
All exterior panels are unique to the track-only T.50s and are made out of ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber, while the glass uses lighter glazing from the road-going version. The springs, dampers, and anti-roll bar are upgraded for the ultimate track performance, while the ride height is lowered to 87mm at the front and 116mm at the rear.
New active aero produces up to 1,500 kg of downforce
As we have already seen, the 400mm fan of the road-going model is retained but is now combined with an even larger rear diffuser and a new ‘delta wing’. The front end comes with barge boards designed to improve airflow to the side air intakes, while there are also new dive planes and a more prominent front splitter. Gordon Murray Automotive claims that the new T.50s is capable of producing up to 1,500 kg (3,306 lbs) of downforce.
The cabin of the new GMA T.50s ‘Niki Lauda’ still features the glorious central driving position, with the driver sitting on a full racing carbon-fiber bucket. The new T.50s is a two-seater, retaining a fixed passenger seat to the left of the driver. In place of the seat to the right, there’s a fire-extinguisher system while the right footwell is now occupied by a vertical switchgear panel.
Each one of the 25 owners of the new GMA T.50s Niki Lauda will receive a bespoke and personalized service. In addition, every example of the wild T.50s will be accompanied by the Trackspeed Package, which includes both engineering support and all the equipment needed to run the car at a track, including a full set of pit tools and refueling equipment.
With prices starting from £3.1 million or about $4.3 million at today’s exchange rates before taxes, the new GMA T.50s ‘Niki Lauda’ is going to be one of the most exclusive track weapons available on the planet.
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