When Gordon Murray unveiled the T.50 in 2020, he wasn’t just revealing a new supercar – he was delivering the purest driver-focused road car ever built. Lighter, more analog, and more aerodynamically advanced than anything on the market, the GMA T.50 stands as the spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1.
GMA T.50 Auction: A Record Sale in Paso Robles
On April 21, 2026, the collector car world turned its attention to the Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles, California, where Broad Arrow Auctions staged a landmark single-car live auction during the celebrated California Mille.
The lot was chassis 009, a 2025 Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 built for the U.S. market. Finished in bespoke Reef paint with satin and gloss carbon fiber exterior details and Graphite Gloss wheels, this example was one of just 100 T.50s ever produced. It was the first GMA T.50 ever offered at public auction in North America.
The car showed only 27 miles on its odometer at the time of sale – a reflection of light delivery testing following its March 2026 handover. Pre-sale estimates for the GMA T.50 auction ranged from $8,000,000 to $10,000,000.
The hammer fell at $7,300,000. Including buyer’s commission, the final T.50 price reached $8,035,000 – setting a new benchmark for the model at public auction.
Beyond the sale price, the winning bidder received an immediate invitation to complete the remainder of the California Mille alongside five other T.50s, turning the purchase into a once-in-a-lifetime driving experience.
Heart of the Machine: The Cosworth V12
The GMA T.50 is powered by an all-new 4.0L naturally aspirated V12 developed by Cosworth. It produces 663 PS (654 hp) at 11,500 rpm and revs to a maximum of 12,100 rpm – making it the highest-revving production engine ever built.
Despite its race-car redline, 71% of peak torque is available from just 2,500 rpm, giving the T.50 genuine everyday usability. The engine weighs only 178 kg, thanks to an aluminum alloy block, a 13 kg steel billet crankshaft, and titanium connecting rods and valves.
Power reaches the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox from F1 specialists Xtrac – keeping the driving experience refreshingly free of paddle shifters and automated intervention.
Built Around the Driver
The T.50 seats three occupants in a central driving position layout – the driver in the middle, two passengers flanking slightly behind – a configuration Murray pioneered in the McLaren F1.
The entire car weighs in at just under 1,000 kg (about 2,200 lbs), achieved through extensive use of carbon fiber throughout the chassis and body. With a base price of $3,155,600 and only 100 road cars produced, the T.50 is one of the most exclusive automobiles ever built.
Performance numbers include a 0-60 mph time of approximately 2.9 seconds, 0-100 mph in 5.7 seconds, and a top speed of 226 mph.
The Fan: How GMA T.50 Aerodynamics Work
No feature defines the GMA T.50 more than its 400mm rear-mounted aerodynamic fan. Powered by a 48-volt, 8.5 kW electric motor spinning to 7,000 rpm, the carbon fiber fan actively manages airflow beneath and above the car at all speeds.
The system draws direct inspiration from Murray’s Brabham BT46B Formula 1 “fan car” from 1978, but is far more sophisticated. The core problem it solves is diffuser stall – without assistance, turbulent airflow limits downforce at lower speeds. The fan accelerates air through boundary-layer control ducts in the diffuser, triggering the Venturi effect to generate consistent downforce regardless of speed.
The result is a cleaner, wing-free exterior design with no traditional splitter or rear wing required.
Six Aerodynamic Modes
The T.50’s fan system operates across six driver-selectable modes, each tuning the car’s aerodynamic character for different conditions:
- Auto Mode – default steady-state operation, mimicking a passive ground-effect car
- Braking Mode – deploys rear aerofoils to 45 degrees and maxes fan speed, doubling downforce and cutting stopping distance by up to 10 meters from 150 mph
- High Downforce Mode – channels air through underbody ducts to increase total downforce by 50%
- Streamline Mode – closes floor vents and uses the fan to fill the trailing wake, creating a “virtual long tail” that reduces drag by 12.5% and raises top speed
- V-Max Boost Mode – combines ram-air induction with the fan to add approximately 50 PS, pushing output toward 690 hp
- Test Mode – a static diagnostic setting for aerodynamic development
At 155 mph, the system generates up to 220 kg of downforce. At top speed, that rises to 460 kg – all without a single wing or spoiler disrupting the T.50’s timeless silhouette.
The Last True Analog Supercar
The Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 is a rare convergence of engineering philosophy and mechanical artistry. Where most modern hypercars rely on turbocharging, hybrid systems, and electronic driver aids, the GMA T.50 chooses a screaming naturally aspirated V12, a featherweight carbon fiber chassis, and a fan-driven aerodynamic system that is elegant in concept and extraordinary in execution.
For collectors and enthusiasts, the T.50 represents something increasingly rare in the modern era: a car built entirely around the joy of driving.