As it prepares for production of its T.50, Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) recently took a prototype of the V-12-powered supercar to Arvidsjaur, Sweden, for cold-weather testing.
While it may look like just a bunch of snow drifting, some technical work is being done, including calibrating the car's driver aids for low-grip situations, GMA chief test driver Gareth Howell explains in the video.
GMA T.50 cold-weather testing
The T.50 does have a "hero mode" that allows a bit of sliding with the stability control working in the background, Howell noted. Working with supplier Continental, the goal was to get the system's interventions to feel as natural as possible, he said. It's also possible to turn everything off, making it even easier to get sideways.
No breakdowns occurred despite the cold weather, Howell reported. The T.50 has now experienced both cold-weather and hot-weather testing, as well as some torturous safety tests, so engineers can now move on to final calibrations before production starts. This is standard procedure for every modern production car—even supercars.
Only 125 cars will be built, including 100 road cars like the ones shown here and 25 T.50s Niki Lauda track versions. Pricing starts at the equivalent of $3.26 million, but the entire production run is sold out. GMA has already announced a follow-up model called the T.33, and has even discussed an electric SUV. Deliveries of the T.50 are now scheduled to start in 2023, after missing an original 2022 start.
The lofty price tag buys what aims to be the ultimate analog supercar. With a naturally aspirated 3.9-liter V-12 that screams to 12,100 rpm, coupled with a rear-mounted fan that can generate downforce or reduce drag, it may embarrass every supercar on the planet when it comes to engineering excellence.