There are several hypercars on the market with great performance figures and legendary designs. However, when it comes to the true definition of a. goes, Supercar Icon always takes the trophy home with the McLaren F1. Designed by Gordon Murray, the F1 has dominated the racetrack for quite some time.
And now that brilliant ghost is bringing the world a more advanced version of the McLaren F1, the GMA T.50. Murray’s goal was to use this car to develop a racing car that beats the iconic F1 in almost every way – and that is exactly what he has achieved so far. The GMA T.50 is even more expensive than McLaren’s own version of the F1, the Speedtail.
The list of highlights could be endless, but here’s a quick comparison of the McLaren F1 versus the GMA T.50.
9 Both were designed by Gordon Murray
Via carthrottle.com
Ian Gordon Murray CBE, a South Africa born automotive designer, is the brain behind these two iconic racetrack weapons. The UK-based designer is best known for creating Formula 1 racing cars that not only dominate but also set the bar for other racing cars.
Via carthrottle.com
Gordon Murray’s latest project is the GMA T.50, a machine that redefines speed and performance and challenges all measurable metrics of the McLaren F1. The car is powered by a V-12 built by Cosworth with 654 horsepower.
8th Rear-mounted V12 naturally aspirated engine
The McLaren F1 is one of the most exciting naturally aspirated cars. And like the F1, the Gordon Murray T.50 is equipped with a naturally aspirated V12 engine mounted directly behind the driver’s seat.
The two beasts also share the same six-speed manual gearbox. They have central driving positions, flanked by two passenger seats on either side of the driver. The cabin can be opened through double doors. The GMA T.50 will beat its predecessor in terms of mass, weighing in at 2,174 pounds. And if that’s true, the car will have a power to weight ratio of 3.3 pounds per horsepower.
7th Active aerodynamics
One of the most noticeable differences between the McLaren F1 and the T.50 is the introduction of active aerodynamics. This is thanks to a 15.7-inch, 11.4-horsepower, 48-volt electric fan that spins at up to 7000 rpm. The fan varies the downforce by removing the boundary layer from the vehicle’s underbody diffuser. It can also reduce drag by creating a virtual long tail behind the T.50.
According to Murray, the fan is more advanced than the vacuum fan developed under his direction in the Brabham BT46B Formula 1 racing car. This means that the GMA T.50 does not have to carry any huge wing elements. If the claims are justified, the T.50 will be unbeatable with 50 percent more downforce and 12.5 percent less drag; all factors are taken into account.
6th The greatest engine ever
The GMA T.50 is equipped with a V-12 engine built by Cosworth that can produce 654 hp. Gordon Murray describes it as the largest internal combustion engine ever used in a street car. If it were from someone else, that statement would sound like an exaggeration, but the datasheet says otherwise – the Cosworth GMA V12 is indeed a true force on wheels.
Murray assures the automotive industry of Cosworth’s ability to build uniquely powerful engines. He says the company is way ahead of Ferrari and other people in internal combustion engines. While everyone is busy building great EV powertrains, Cosworth built the GMA V12 from a blank sheet of paper, and nobody does that these days.
5 air conditioning
Via carmagazine.co.uk
Another key difference between these two symbols is how your air conditioning system works. The McLaren F1 had air conditioning, but it was pathetic – like it wasn’t there. The AC had to withstand 7800 rpm and produced almost nothing at low speeds.
Via gtspirit.com
The Gordon Murray T.50 has a fully functional air conditioning system. It has a 48-volt starter generator that enables an electrically driven air conditioning compressor that works perfectly at any speed.
4th Power steering for parking
Via autoblog.com
Another outstanding feature of the T.50 is the power steering. This function helps when maneuvering thanks to the electric assistance at low speed. This means that the driver only uses minimal physical strength when parking or maneuvering in tight spaces.
Via slashgear.com
The McLaren F1 didn’t have power steering, which made maneuvering quite difficult. Murray says, “They needed gorilla arms to park.” The T.50 is also equipped with LED headlights, which are supposed to offer the best range so far. These characteristics make the T.50 one of the easiest-to-drive sports cars of all time.
3 Cabin space
Gordon built the T.50 with proportions similar to the F1, except that it was a bit bigger. The car is 30mm longer, which was used to improve the interior of the cabin. The T.50 also comes with an additional 25 mm driver length. At 6’4 “tall, Gordon has always thought about the difficulties tall people face when trying to fit into supercars.
With the improved cabin space, the car can comfortably accommodate three adults. Murray built the T.50 with a camera-based rear view designed to address the F1’s biggest problem with visibility.
2 The technology
As a brilliant developer of Formula 1 racing cars, Murray attached great importance to the design of the cabin of this super sports car. He put a lot of thought into ergonomics, with bespoke switchgear that is not found in any other car.
Directly in front of the driver is a conventional tachometer, flanked by digital screens with various controls, including lights, windshield wipers and various aerodynamic modes. Gordon Murrays says he spent a lot of time looking for switchgear with perfect weighting, and so much was he determined to build the perfect supercar.
1 The sound
The McLaren F1 is one of the cutest sounding cars ever, and a lot of effort went into making sure the T.50 sounded even better. Murray says the power behind the F1’s amazing sound wasn’t in the exhaust, but in the intake noise. In cam control, there is a point where both the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time, resulting in a nice pulse that swings back to the intake. In a car with a central driving position like the T.50, this resonance is right above the driver’s head.
Murray tuned the F1’s platter thickness to allow the induction sound to resonate to make this as beautiful as possible, which was effective. Murray did the same with the GMA T.50, except that the T.50 reached 12,100 rpm.
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Nzilili Sam
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Sam is a professional internet researcher and writer. He is mainly interested in cars and motorcycles. He’s been writing about the same thing in recent years. Sam currently works full-time for Valnet Inc.’s Hot Cars. He is also a professional graphic designer, digital marketer, and sexual health consultant.
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