For three years, Autocar has persistently aimed to conduct a definitive road test of the Gordon Murray T50 – a supercar hyped as the successor to the legendary McLaren F1. This isn’t standard practice; most cars lose their testing urgency after a year, and after two, a full evaluation feels redundant. Three years is nearly unheard of.
However, the T50 isn’t just another car. It’s a project personally championed by Murray as an improvement over his own masterpiece, boasting extreme performance metrics (like a staggering 50,000 RPM gain in neutral). This makes conventional timelines irrelevant; it’s an engineering statement that demands thorough scrutiny.
Why does this matter? The T50 isn’t about keeping up with the news cycle; it’s about establishing a benchmark. The original McLaren F1 test from 1994 remains a reference point, and replicating that rigor with the T50 feels essential. A properly conducted 4000-word road test – one that blends objective data with subjective impressions – would be the ultimate assessment of this driver-focused machine.
The biggest challenge isn’t technical; it’s access. All 100 T50 units are sold, removing the commercial incentive for GMA (Gordon Murray Automotive) to hand over a car for extensive third-party testing. Unlike the early days of the F1, where slow sales allowed for wider review, the T50’s exclusivity complicates matters.
GMA must be convinced that a fair evaluation won’t undermine the car’s reputation while simultaneously solidifying its legacy. Despite interviews with key personnel and prototype drives, a full Autocar road test remains the logical, and arguably the most crucial, step forward.
The pursuit continues, with ongoing conversations aimed at securing access. The goal isn’t simply to check a box but to deliver a definitive verdict on a car that claims to redefine the supercar standard. The wait may extend into 2027, but the principle remains: some stories demand thorough telling, regardless of time.
