This 21 April, engineering brilliance, rarity, and occasion come together to create something truly unforgettable, a singular experience in the collector car world.
Presenting a remarkable opportunity, Broad Arrow Auctions will offer the first North American public auction of a Gordon Murray Automotive T.50, a landmark hypercar that has already secured its place in automotive history. The offering will take place at the stunning Allegretto Vineyard Resort during a celebrated stop on the iconic California Mille tour.
A true masterpiece, this incredibly rare hypercar represents the pinnacle of automotive engineering. Yet this occasion carries an even greater sense of purpose, with a portion of proceeds benefiting both the California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation and the McPherson College Automotive Restoration Program in honor of its 50th anniversary.
Taking their place alongside five other T.50s, the winning bidder of chassis 009 will receive an exclusive invitation to join the remainder of the renowned California Mille, further adding to the singularity of the event.
2025 Gordon Murray Automotive T.50
It may be unfair to expect a masterwork each and every time a legend of their industry debuts a new idea, sound, or device, yet Gordon Murray wouldn't have it any other way. The South African's chosen medium, the automobile, has been forever influenced by his concepts first honed in his home country. To those in motorsport, his years in Formula One with Brabham and McLaren stand tall, and to those more interested in his roadworthy designs, it is the McLaren F1 that sits at the apex. As related as the two arenas are, rarely do the two worlds collide. Colin Chapman and Enzo Ferrari along with Murray prove the exception. Surely then, when Murray merely suggests an idea, the automotive world becomes abuzz, unable to contain the enthusiasm for a potential design as monumental as the Brabham BT46 Formula 1 “Fan Car” or the center-seat McLaren F1 road car.
After leaving McLaren following the Mercedes SLR McLaren collaboration, Murray founded Gordon Murray Design in 2007. He initially focused his thoughts on the award-winning T.25, a fun- to-drive city car which he intended to flat-pack (IKEA style). While the project found less interest in full production, those around Murray knew it would be little time before he chose to focus his full efforts on a completely modern supercar. Since the introduction of the McLaren F1, supercars and hypercars have fully embraced hybrid and full electric technology. These larger and heavier cars focused on outright power with instant torque, high cornering G-forces with large sculpted appendages for downforce, and immense stopping power with regenerative capabilities. After the founding of Gordon Murray Automotive in 2017, rumors began to swirl and mysterious black boxes with GMA's “The Mermaid” logo began to appear in the mailboxes of car collectors and those within the industry, followed by an announcement in November 2017.
Unsurprisingly, he would start where the F1 left off. To many, the F1 is the best road-going sports car ever created, yet its creator thought he could do better. In various interviews Murray cites aesthetic issues, brakes and air conditioning system that were not up to his standard, and the famous lack of serviceability, notably the five-year lifespan of the fuel cell. Key features remained to ensure the new design would remain an object of driving perfection. A center-seat driving position with unencumbered visibility, an exciting normally aspirated V12 engine, a manual transmission, thoughtful packaging, low weight, and a clean silhouette were all top of mind. Many small-volume sports and supercar manufacturers set these goals, but Gordon Murray retains an enviable track record for consistently turning his sketches into reality.
In June 2019, GMA released the exterior and interior design and raw technical specification for the concept dubbed “T.50.” Furthermore, it publicized a limited production run of only 100 cars that would be the “purest, lightest, most driver-focused supercar ever.” Shortly thereafter, those select clients and media outlets began receiving early marketing materials and then, in a sure sign of the promise of the car and company, GMA announced each of the 100 T.50 supercars had been sold within two days of its global premiere in August 2020. In September, the full details of the car were revealed, and to the surprise of no one, the engine was the star; yet no one was ready for the metrics. GMA worked closely with Cosworth to develop a lightweight 3.9-liter V12 (392 pounds) producing 661 horsepower at 11,000 rpm with a maximum engine speed of 12,100 rpm. The 65-degree V angle relieved the crankshaft of its cumbersome counterbalance weights and sat very low in the structure for optimum center of gravity. Due to the high-quality specification engine's internal components, hollow titanium valves, titanium connecting rods, and metal-matrix composite pistons, the engine revved remarkably fast, reaching redline from idle in less than a quarter of a second. The engine was a semi-stressed member of the chassis, as was the six-speed manual gearbox manufactured by Xtrac.
In a call-back to one of Gordon Murray's most famous and short-lived technical inventions, the T.50 was designed with an integrated rearward-facing fan much the same as the 1977 Formula One Brabham BT46 “Fan Car.” While the Fan Car took advantage of the emerging black art of underbody aerodynamics, in effect vacuuming the car to the racetrack in high-speed corners, the T.50 utilizes its fan in a slightly different manner. In the words of Four-time IndyCar Champion and GMA's Executive Director of Product and Brand Dario Franchitti, it “allow(s) for a more aggressive diffuser angle without stalling the air under the car." All told, the 400-mm rear-mounted fan boosts underbody ground effect by 50 percent and provides a sense of technical and styling drama to a silhouette bereft of a deep front splitter, noticeable air ducts, and large wings.
Thousands of hours were invested to put the XP2 prototype on the Dunsfold test track, familiar to even the casual Top Gear fan, in March of 2021 with none other than Murray at the wheel. That October, the T.50 received its public debut at the 78th Goodwood Members' Meeting along with a number of other lightweight Gordon Murray-designed icons to further drive home the lineage of the supercar. Franchitti would be at the wheel that weekend with YouTube absolutely alight that afternoon with the distinctive howl of the high-revving V12. Those in attendance also remarked on the small footprint of the car, its blend of simple design and attention to detail, and of course, the center seat layout.
Constructed as a rare U.S.-market example, the carbon fiber body of chassis 009 is finished in Reef paint and a mix of satin and gloss carbon fiber trim, complemented by the wheels finished in Graphite Gloss. Other exterior touches include Silver brake calipers, Mid Gold headlight accents, and a Silver Enamel “T.50” rear badge. The glass roof option was selected, creating an airy cabin with the pilot and side seat passengers both receiving an unobstructed view. Inside, the center carbon fiber driver's seat is upholstered in Dune leather with color-matched stitching, while Dune “Speedhead” headrest embroidery and a Thruxton Blue leather seat center stripe provide a pop of contrast and definition. Both passenger side seats were selected in perforated Athol Blue Alcantara centers with Thruxton Blue leather edging and Dune stitching. The motorsport-inspired dashboard is covered in matching Athol Blue Alcantara with Chromite Black leather atop the gauge pod, as is the three-spoke satin carbon-fiber steering wheel with side grips in Thruxton Blue leather.
Following the hand-over in March 2026, T.50 chassis number 009 is offered with a mere 27 miles on its odometer, reflective of light testing and delivery. The car is accompanied by a full complement of original delivery accessories, including a four-piece fitted luggage set, a serialized tool chest, a diagnostics tablet computer, two keys, owner's manuals, and a photo album documenting the assembly of chassis 009.
Designed and constructed to be the world's greatest driver's car, the T.50 captured the coveted 2023 Top Gear Hypercar of the Year award, a fitting tribute to the machine Top Gear hailed as “the best driver's car in the world.” Broad Arrow Auctions is honored to offer chassis 009, one of just 100 T.50s built, from a production run that was fully allocated, making this an all but unobtainable chance to acquire one of the most important road cars of the 21st century.
Registering to Bid
In-person attendees will be treated to a premier auction experience as renowned driver, restorer, and collector Bruce Canepa, alongside esteemed collector and founding board member of the CHP 11-99 Foundation Bruce Meyer, personally introduce the T.50.
Register to bid now at broadarrowauctions.com to secure your place for this extraordinary opportunity. For those unable to attend in-person, Broad Arrow’s expert team will be on hand to assist with telephone and absentee bidding, ensuring collectors around the world have the opportunity to participate in this landmark sale. For any additional questions on this exciting auction opportunity, please email bid@broadarrowauctions.com.
