- Production limited to just 25 cars
- Tips the scale at just 852kg
Commemorating the birthday anniversary of one of F1’s greatest driver, Gordon Murray Automotive revealed the T.50s Niki Lauda. Paying homage to the three-time world champion Niki Lauda who was also a former Brabham teammate of Murray, the British marque will make only 25 units of the track-focused supercar after the 100 production version of the T.50s
With each chassis named after one of Gordon Murray’s Grand Prix victories, the T.50s Nikki Lauda weighs a mere 852kg (that’s lighter than a Swift) and is powered by Cosworth-sourced 3.9-litre V12 punching out 725bhp while revving to 12,100rpm. It is paired to a newly-designed Xtrac six-speed paddle-shift gearbox.
In terms of aerodynamics, the 400mm rear-mounted fan is capable of producing up to 1500kg of downforce. At 178bhp/litre, the specific power output of the T.50s Niki Lauda’s V12 exceeds that of the all-conquering Cosworth DFV Formula One engine. The power-to-weight ratio of 835PS/tonne betters that of a naturally aspirated LMP1 car.
Compared to the standard T.50s, the Niki Lauda edition has the F1 driver’s logo on the central fin and a larger rear diffuser along with a delta wing. Even the rear grille is tweaked with a newer script. Then there are aero elements like barge-boards on the side ducts, a splitter and dive planes for better airflow and of course the lightweight 18-inch five-spoke carbon fibre wheels. Those 25 aficionados will be able to individualise their T.50s Niki Lauda through their choice of colours and liveries.
Opening the dihedral doors, the race-oriented driver-focused central seating position of the T.50 is retained with a full racing carbon fibre seat and six-point harness. Passengers get a fixed seat with a four-point harness. In place of the seat on the right is a fire extinguisher system replacing the passenger and its footwell has a vertical switchgear panel similar to that found on the legendary McLaren F1 GTR. One can also order the Niki Lauda edition without any passenger seat at all. There’s a single digital screen displaying only the essential vehicle and engine data, as well as aero info, the gearchange indicator, telemetry, lap time, tyre pressures/temperatures, G-forces and a camera video feed.
As part of the Trackspeed package, the T.50s Niki Lauda’s chassis can be adjusted to find the ideal setup for its owner. Both the chassis settings and the aerodynamics are fully adjustable. Each T.50s Niki Lauda will be costing 3.1 Million Euros (before taxes). Production will start in January 2023 at Gordon Murray Automotive’s manufacturing centre in Dunsfold, Surrey.
