While selling a million units of an automobile may be good for business and leads to wider availability of spares and far more attainable price points, owing to economies of scale, the same can’t be true when it comes to the world of exotics and supercars, as aspects like exclusivity and production numbers are imperative when it comes to collectability and long-term valuations. Thankfully, when it comes to the world of scale models, those factors don’t necessarily apply.
Gordon Murray Automotive, which has been in the spotlight for its recent announcement of its GMSV Le Mans GTR and the S1 LM at last month’s Monterey Car Week, has now confirmed that the T.33 has passed the one-million mark in Hot Wheels sales.
Now the full-scale GMA T.33 announced in 2022, which inspired this popular best-selling die-cast model, is powered by a 3.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 that revs to a howling 11,100 rpm and produces 607 horsepower. Engineered by Cosworth, it puts out 607 horsepower. The car weighs just under 2,400 pounds and is built with carbon construction so precise that even the airbox is bolted directly to the engine, a design trick straight out of 1970s Formula 1.
Unlike the GMA T.50, you don’t get the distinctive rear-mounted fan. Instead, Murray designed it to be the purest form of a lightweight analog supercar, with no hybrid assistance and a curb weight under 2,400 pounds. Every detail, from the carbon-fiber bodywork to the mid-engine layout, is about stripping away excess.
As for price, the real T.33 starts at around $1.9 million. Having said that, where only a few dozen people in the world will ever get to drive a T.33 in real life (production is only limited to 100 units), the Hot Wheels model can cut across demographics, price points, and even continents.
Now, Scale models can be a serious hobby, and the 1:64 Hot Wheels format is only the entry point. If you are a serious collector and want something that offers even more detail, Amalgam Collection offers hand-built 1:8 scale models. Limited to runs of just a few dozen, Amalgam has an extensive selection of some truly exquisite Gordon Murray model cars. These models are investment-grade pieces good for a museum, and they have the potential, in the long run, to appreciate in value, especially when tied to halo cars like the T.33.
Images: @gordonmurrayautomotive
