Gordon Murray's T.33 to be last pure V12 for GMA before going hybrid
Gordon Murray, legendary Formula 1 car designer, creator of the pathbreaking McLaren F1, and more recently, his firm's GMA T.50, has revealed what he simply calls a more conventional version of the fairly out there T.50 Fancar flagship. Coming in at a little over half the price of the T.50 (at 1.37 million pounds, or Rs 13.7cr before taxes/duties, with deliveries starting 2024), it could be viewed as a bargain considering it packs the same Cosworth-developed V12, with an 11,100rpm redline (1,000rpm lower), 615PS/451Nm torque, 564PS/tonne power-to-weight, a 6-speed manual, carbon fibre tub and body panels, and a few other key components in the way of suspension and switchgear carried over.ÂÂ
Otherwise an all-new car developed alongside the T.50 and trackday-special T.50S, Murray claims the T.33 will still provide a very different driving experience compared to the T.50 (considering it does weigh in a little heavier at 1,090kg vs 986kg), though the designer is quick to not categorise the new supercar as a grand tourer. Apart from the bespoke 6-speed manual developed by Xtrac, a paddle shift auto transmission, based on Xtrac's zero-torque loss IGS (Instantaneous Gearchange System) originally developed for use in motorcycles, is also available. GMA claim the auto transmission offers the world's quickest supercar gear shifts.ÂÂ
The GMA T.33, critically, will be available in three versions eventually, of which 100 examples each will be made, or about three times the run of the T.50. The GMA T.33 revealed is Murray's attempt to bring back the classic, simple mid-engine proportions of sportscars, and racing specials, from the 60s. Considering a key difference versus the central driving position of the T.50 is that it offers a far more conventional two-seat side-by-side driving position, the T.33 can have a glasshouse pushed further back, with a longer hood, with bodywork that pinches around the wheels. The T.33 is actually longer, both in bodywork, as well as wheelbase, than the T.50, so calling the T.33 a junior T.50 isn't entirely accurate.ÂÂ
What the GMA T.33 is, by Murray's own admission, is the last pure internal combustion car that GMA will offer, with any future products going the way of hybrid power. Considering every GMA automobile is built on the seven pillars of the brand â€" driving perfection, exclusivity, lightweight, premium, engineering art, a return to beauty, personalisation â€" you can be sure a GMA hybrid will be very different to anything else available at the time.ÂÂ
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