Gordon_Murray_Designs Official News – I wish I had more to offer

@GMD: Fri 06 Nov 2020000015

Racing version generates in excess of 1,500kg of downforce – 170% more than its weight Even lighter – racing T.50 weighs just 890kg Even more powerful – race-tuned Cosworth V12 boasts more than 700PS; ram-induction pushes output past 730PS Murray: “We’ve changed hundreds of parts to optimise the car for racing and track use” … Continue reading @GMD: Fri 06 Nov 2020000015

@GMD: Fri 09 Oct 2020000014

Scottish race legend, motorsport commentator and three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, Dario Franchitti, has teamed up with Gordon Murray Automotive to play an important role in the development of the T.50 supercar Franchitti will play a key role in the development of the all-new T.50 supercar and the racing-focused T.50s Dario will be a… Continue reading @GMD: Fri 09 Oct 2020000014

@GMD: Tue 04 Aug 2020000013

Engineered to be the most driver-centric supercar ever built Full exterior and interior revealed showing design purity and fastidious attention to detail 3.9-litre V12 is the world’s lightest, highest-revving, most power dense naturally-aspirated road car engine 986kg total vehicle weight is lighter than the typical supercar by almost a third Most advanced and effective aerodynamics… Continue reading @GMD: Tue 04 Aug 2020000013

Wed 27 May 2020

The Most Influential Person in F1

To coincide with the 70th anniversary of the first ever world championship grand prix at Silverstone in 1950, Formula One set out to find the most influential person in Formula One history. A panel of influential automotive enthusiasts were tasked to select 32 influencers who they felt have had the biggest impact on the sport during its 70 years existence.

The 32 nominees were then divided into 4 categories of drivers, team bosses, technical innovators and game-changers. Fans voted in their thousands to vote for their chosen heroes within each of the categories.

Our very own Prof. Gordon Murray, CBE was voted the overall winner of the most influential Technical Innovator category, for his outstanding achievements, contribution and creative flare during his career in Formula One. “I am hugely appreciative to all of the Formula One fans that voted for me. I’ve always worked towards pushing boundaries and creating winning designs through innovation and we continue to push boundaries even now with our 980kg Type 50 supercar setting new standards in that sector”.

Influencers were whittled down to just two names: Bernie Ecclestone and Michael Schumacher, with Michael winning the overall title as Most Influential Person in F1 History.

“My congratulations to all of the nominees.It was a tough choice and when considering my overall vote, there was only ever one true winner in my eyes – and that was Bernie. When I joined F1 in 1970, the sport was literally on its knees. Bernie worked relentlessly year after year and has made the multi-billion pound sport into the huge global success that it is today.”

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Mon 10 Feb 2020 Gordon Murray Design leads UK consortium to launch a unique and versatile autonomous mobility vehicle

Gordon Murray Design leads UK consortium to launch a unique and versatile autonomous mobility vehicle

Gordon Murray Design, Delta Motorsport and itMoves collaborate to produce ‘MOTIV’ autonomous vehicle platform

‘MOTIV’ uses GMD’s patented iStream Superlight technology to produce a safe and cost-effective autonomous vehicle

Consortium targets autonomous technology and development partners as it looks to begin real-world trial phase

GMD will unveil MOTIV at the MOVE 2020 show at ExCeL, London (11-12 February, stand 70)

Gordon Murray Design and its consortium partners Delta Motorsport and itMoves are set to unveil ‘MOTIV®’, a unique and extremely versatile autonomous vehicle platform at the MOVE 2020 show in London on 11-12 February.

Part-funded through the UK-government’s ‘IDP14’ programme, the new platform breaks the mould for future mobility development by creating acost-effective, ultra-lightweight quadricycle vehicle platform that is designed to meet full passenger car crash safety requirements. Alongside its industry-leading safety credentials, the new fully-electric unit is targeting significant cost savings and improved refinement over its rivals, while delivering the range capabilities, platform flexibility and plug-and-play versatility required by autonomous customers with personal mobility or commercial delivery requirements.

Designed with autonomy in mind, MOTIV is a single-seater ‘pod’, which provides the versatility of either personal transportation or last-mile deliveries. Engineered using Gordon Murray Design’s iStream Superlight® technology, the vehicle’s single-seater layout provides a private mobility experience for people moving through busy cities, many of whom typically travel in larger combustion-engined vehicles with single occupancy*. MOTIV has the potential to significantly reduce congestion and emissions in city centres due to its fully-electric powertrain and compact footprint. The 1,628mm high pod measures just 2,537mm in length, with a width of 1,310mm.

Due to its compact footprint and layout, MOTIV offers greater flexibility than any of its rivals. To further increase its practicality, MOTIV can be adapted in the future to seat multiple occupants; for wheelchair use; or even for commercial deliveries. In its goods transportation form, the platform can be altered to enable maximum load capacity, creating a volume of more than 1,100 litres.

For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) providers, MOTIV offers a unique proposition due to its compact size, extensive versatility and capable range. MOTIV provides the opportunity for MaaS providers to use a product that is ready for immediate adaptation to driverless use with any form of autonomous technology. MOTIV is the first of its kind to offer this degree of integration simplicity. To support its transition to autonomous road use, the consortium aims to partner with autonomous technology providers for multiple pilot studies. Dependent on application and legislation, this will be the vehicle’s final development stage and it could be ready for mass production within two to five years.

MOTIV is powered by a 20kW electric motor, and will be equipped with a 17.3kWh liquid-cooled battery pack providing a potential range of up to 100km. It will operate at speeds of up to 40mph (65kph), making it ideal for operating in urban and suburban locations. It is equipped with CCS charging capability and can recharge from 20% to 80% battery in just 40 minutes.

MOTIV utilises Gordon Murray Design’s iStream Superlight technology, with ultra-lightweight high strength extruded aluminium in the chassis (iFrame®), composite panels and door (iPanel®), plus aluminium suspension (iLink®) to ensure that vehicle weight is kept to a minimum. Using this technology ensures the weight of the vehicle is kept below 450kg (excluding batteries), which reduces the amount of raw materials used in the manufacture of the platform when compared to conventional vehicle manufacturing techniques, it also significantly reduces the size of battery required without impacting vehicle range. Also, MOTIV features an eye-catching gull-wing door that provides unrivalled accessibility and weather protection for passengers or loading goods.

Professor Gordon Murray CBE, Chairman of Gordon Murray Group, said: “MOTIV has the potential to transform future mobility. The best way to make any vehicle commercially viable and cost-effective, while delivering first-class efficiency, is to make it as light as it can be while retaining the highest levels of safety. With MOTIV we have used our iStream® technologies to create an ultra-lightweight body structure that delivers a vehicle that is compact, refined, safe and versatile, while remaining capable of significant range.”

Electrification, hybridisation, and vehicle dynamics specialist Delta Motorsport is responsible for MOTIV’s power, motors and control systems. The platform uses Delta’s cutting-edge drive-by wire dedicated vehicle control architecture that operates the steering, propulsion and braking. The electrical integration expertise provided by Delta Motorsport utilises a ‘plug-and-play’ high-voltage system that significantly reduces cost, alongside production and assembly times. The braking and steering systems are also small and lightweight for minimal intrusion into cabin space.

Nick Carpenter, Engineering Director,Delta Motorsport, commented: “In developing the MOTIV, we’ve demonstrated that the future of mobility is lightweight, battery-powered and private. The control systems integrated into the platform prove that electrified vehicles need not be heavy and cumbersome, but can be lithe, lightweight and energy saving. MOTIV’s ‘plug-and-play’ high-voltage system makes it a truly viable solution to the world of autonomous driving.”

Advanced mobility and innovation specialist itMoves was responsible for the vision behind MOTIV, including the vehicle concept, strategy usability and visual image. The design of the vehicle is contemporary, while also remaining compact and city friendly. The interior of the vehicle provides an easy-to-access, comfortable space with an integrated HVAC system and room to perch a laptop.

Jose Paris, Director of itMoves commented: “The MOTIV design philosophy is based on three points: small footprint, first class interior, and a city-friendly image. The small size takes advantage of the fact that most people commute and move around by themselves. Space in cities is at a premium, and it should not be wasted on empty seats. The spacious interior is comfortable and provides an up-to-date user experience, acting as a ‘third space’, to move around, work or relax in. Lastly, it is all wrapped up in a city (and citizen) friendly visual language that connects and integrates the vehicle with its surroundings in a non-threatening way.”

Homologating MOTIV as a quadricycle has various benefits for OEMs and MaaS providers. Firstly, it is lightweight. A quadricycle must weigh less than 450kg, this means that it is nimble and compact, which makes it a viable option for busy city streets. Gordon Murray Design has engineered MOTIV to conform to European passenger car (M1) crash safety standards, making it the first quadricycle to incorporate passenger car safety levels. This achievement is made possible by the high-strength properties of its iStream Superlight structure. Another benefit is that, as a quadricycle, it is simpler to produce than a car. The less complex production process cuts per-unit build time and reduces waiting times for OEMs and MaaS providers looking to enter the market.

As a development test bed for autonomous systems, MOTIV’s autonomous-ready design is far easier for companies to convert than a conventional vehicle. Typically, a conversion of a regular vehicle to become autonomous requires more hardware, more time and has obvious compromises – conventional vehicles are comparatively large, cumbersome and inefficient.

As MOTIV was purpose-built as a platform for autonomy, testing of its driverless capabilities can begin from launch, which gives it the potential to be the first fully-autonomous single seater pod available on the market.

As a small footprint single seat vehicle, MOTIV offers a unique private solution in the market. A recent Transport for London survey showed that the rate of single occupancy within traditional cars and vans in London is on average greater than 60%. Across the UK, this number is as high as 80%* for local journeys. European occupancy rates show a similar trend with an average of 1.1 – 1.2 people per vehicle**.

MOTIV is due to be launched at the MOVE ‘Mobility Re-imagined’ show on 11-12 February at the ExCeL in London and will be on the Gordon Murray Design stand.

Gordon Murray Automotive – MOTIV – Technical specification

Acceleration / top speed

0-62kph

7.5 seconds

Max speed

40mph (65kph)

Dimensions

Length

2,537mm

Width

1,310mm

Height

1,628mm

Weight

<450kg (without battery)

Chassis / Body

iStream Superlight structure

Designed in accordance with European M1 crash regulations

Rear wheel drive layout

Single gull-wing door – for easy ‘walk in’ entry / exit

Contactless door opening system

Configuration

L7e Quadricycle crash tested to M1 car standard

Single seat configuration

Autonomous ready

Powertrain / Battery

Range

100km (WLTP)

Run time

2.5 hour continuous

Motor

20kW motor

Nominal voltage

361V

Max torque

48.4Nm

Battery location

Under floor

Battery capacity

17.3kWh (total); 13.8KWh (usable)

Battery cooling

Liquid cooled battery, motor and power electronics

Charging type

CCS

Fast charge time

40 minutes (20% – 80%)

Transmission

Configuration

Single speed transmission

Suspension

Front

MacPherson Strut front suspension system

Tue 10 Dec 2019

Gordon Murray Automotive partners with Racing Point Formula One team to ensure T.50 supercar has most advanced aerodynamics ever

Collaboration with Racing Point Formula One Team will facilitate access to state-of-the-art wind tunnel and the pinnacle of motorsport expertise

First official T.50 image reveals purity and drama

Murray shares details of ground-effect ‘fan car’ innovation that rewrites the rulebook for road-car aerodynamics

Six aero modes enable driver to optimise dynamic and outright performance

Vmax Mode and ram induction boost T.50 output to 700hp

Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) is partnering with the Racing Point Formula One Team to further develop and test the aerodynamics of its forthcoming T.50 supercar. According to Professor Gordon Murray, the driver-focused new model will have the most advanced and most effective aerodynamics ever seen on a road car.

In addition to utilising the race team’s advanced rolling-road wind tunnel at its Silverstone (UK) headquarters, GMA will gain insight and expertise from Racing Point’s highly-experienced engineers.

The announcement comes as GMA reveals the first official image of the T.50 supercar ahead of its global unveiling – set for May 2020. The rendering shows the purity and drama of the T.50, which has been penned by Professor Gordon Murray and the design team at Gordon Murray Design.

Contrasting with the clean lines of the T.50 body, perhaps the most notable feature of the exterior is the rear-end, which is dominated by a 400mm ground-effect fan – part of a unique airflow management system. Coupled with active underbody aerodynamics and dynamic rear aerofoils, the revolutionary aero system enables the T.50 to achieve considerably more aerodynamic performance and control than a conventional ground-effect supercar contributing to an unrivalled driving experience.

The T.50 features six different aero modes that optimise the car for different scenarios to balance traction and outright performance. The most extreme – Vmax Mode – combines motorsport slipstream technology, extra power from a 48-volt integrated starter-generator, and ram induction to boost power to 700hp.

The announcement comes as customer allocations of the T.50, priced in excess of £2 million before taxes, enter their final phase. The majority of the exclusive production run of 100 cars has already been allocated to automotive enthusiasts. The supercar has generated demand from a wider than expected global customer base, with a significant number heading to customers in the USA and Japan.

Weighing just 980kg, the T.50 will deliver the purest, most driver-focused performance and dynamics of any road car. The car’s bespoke Cosworth V12 will be the highest-revving road car engine ever made, capable of an extraordinary 12,100rpm.

The rear-wheel drive T.50 features Murray’s favoured three-seat layout, with the driver benefitting from a central ‘jet-fighter-style’ driving position. Aligned with Gordon Murray’s claim that the T.50 could be the pinnacle of great analogue supercars, the driver-centric analogue controls are positioned to provide the ultimate, highly-intuitive, and totally-immersive driving experience.

Formula One aerodynamics partnership

The Racing Point Formula One Team rebranded from Racing Point Force India earlier this year, under the leadership of Canadian businessman Lawrence Stroll. The Racing Point HQ in Silverstone (UK) is the hub for all of the race team’s design, R&D, component manufacture, and its race car production.

The partnership with Gordon Murray Automotive will see the T.50 move from software-based aerodynamic testing (via computational fluid dynamics) to physical testing in the Racing Point rolling-road wind tunnel from early next year. Few facilities in the world can offer T.50 such sophisticated, performance-focused aerodynamic testing capabilities and allow the use of a 40% scale model.

Team owner, Lawrence Stroll, said: “Working on the T.50 with Gordon Murray Automotive is an honour and a privilege for everyone at Racing Point. Our aerodynamicists will utilise our wind tunnel to harness the very latest Formula One expertise and experience for the T.50 project, ensuring Gordon’s revolutionary fan concept delivers its full potential. I have admired the design and engineering skills of Gordon Murray since his earliest days in Formula One, so it is a personal pleasure to support this project, which truly rewrites the rulebook on aerodynamics.”

Professor Gordon Murray CBE, Chairman of Gordon Murray Group, said:“Formula One remains a deep passion of mine, so partnering with Racing Point to develop the T.50 is hugely exciting. I’ve dreamt of delivering a road car with a ground-effect fan since I designed the Brabham BT46B F1 racing car in 1978. The system on the T.50 is much more sophisticated than the Brabham’s and will benefit enormously from Racing Point’s expertise and resources.”

The most advanced aerodynamics of any road car

The T.50 takes road-car aerodynamics to entirely new levels with Murray’s ground-breaking design significantly enhancing the supercar’s ground-effect capabilities. To achieve unmatched aerodynamic performance, the car’s 400mm fan rapidly accelerates air passing under the car, forcing it through active boundary-layer control ducts that form part of the rear diffuser.

The fan and its associated ducting system build on conventional ground effect systems by actively helping control both the underbody and overbody airflow ensuring that both airflow systems interact to ensure absolute control of the enhanced aerodynamics and improve the car’s performance.

The underbody airflow system allows Gordon Murray Automotive to achieve purity of design for the car’s upper surfaces, with air flowing over the top of the car undisturbed by unsightly vents, ducts, or flaps. At the rear, air is channelled down through vents to cool the powertrain oil. Also, a pair of active aerofoils at the rear of the car contribute to downforce or shedding drag, as required.

The fan’s design and underbody ducting does away with the need for a ‘skirt’ – like that of the BT46B Fan Car – while the vertical inlet ducting ensures no road debris passes through the fan. The novel system has multiple benefits, enhancing engine cooling, boosting downforce and maximising efficiency. The various fan functions, combined with the underbody ducting and activation of the rear aerofoils, are controlled seamlessly as part of the car’s six distinct aero modes.

Two modes operate without any driver input. ‘Auto Mode’ is the car’s default, which optimises use of the rear aerofoil, fan and underbody diffusers in response to speed and driver inputs. When high levels of deceleration are required, ‘Braking Mode’ deploys the rear aerofoils automatically and the fan operates simultaneously at high speed. This function doubles the levels of downforce, enhancing stability and grip, and enables the T.50 to pull up a full 10 metres shorter when braking from 150mph.

The other four aero modes are driver-selectable. ‘High Downforce Mode’ delivers enhanced traction – where the fan and the aerofoils work together to increase downforce by 30%. At the flick of a switch, the driver can shift to ‘Streamline Mode’, to reduce drag by 10% and boost straight-line speed, while also reducing fuel consumption and downforce. This mode closes the underbody ducts and sets the fan to operate at high speed to extend the trailing wake of the car, creating a ‘virtual longtail’.

When maximum velocity is required, the ‘Vmax Mode’ can be deployed by the driver at the push of a button. This utilises the same aerodynamic configuration as ‘Streamline Mode’, but adds an extra boost of around 30hp for up to three minutesby adding power to the crankshaft from the car’s 48-volt integrated starter-generator.

Finally, ‘Test Mode’ operates when the car is at standstill to demonstrate the capability of the aero system.

Purity and drama – official T.50 styling revealed

Since the T.50 was announced in June this year, media have speculated on the design of the supercar. No official images have been revealed by the Gordon Murray Design team – until now. The rear three-quarter image released by the Surrey-based design team shows how purity and drama are combined to produce a unique and distinctive supercar.

Aerodynamics plays a critical role in defining the proportions and styling of the T.50. Clean, flowing upper surfaces contrast sharply with the dramatic rear, which is dominated by a prominent 400mm-diameter fan. The entire rear end design is technically driven, with the fan, engine exhaust, ground effect diffusers and engine bay cooling featuring prominently.

Down its centre-line the rear deck rises subtly to accommodate the substantial 'fan assembly', the trailing edge of which extends just beyond the rear. Flanking the fan outlet on the upper surface are a pair of dynamic aerofoils that actively manage airflow at speed, according to the aero mode in operation.

The profile of the T.50 is distinguished by the radiator exit duct outlet behind the front wheel and the profiled dihedral door and monocoque. This concept of ‘functional bodywork’ is also evident in the engine ram induction duct in the roof of the car.

Professor Murray said: “We were highly focused on achieving the purest possible form for the T.50, an objective we’ve achieved through world-first engineering innovations and active underbody aerodynamics. We will reveal the completed design at the T.50 supercar’s global debut in May.”

Customer uptake grows strongly as T.50 development continues at a pace

Professor Murray said: “We’ve been taken aback by the enthusiastic reaction of buyers from across the globe. The first customer deliveries will take place in January 2022, on schedule, with every customer who has already been allocated their T.50 receiving their car that year.”
..

Tue 13 Aug 2019

Gordon Murray Automotive select Bruce Canepa, Canepa Group Inc. as North American representative of the GMA T.50 supercar

Gordon Murray Automotive will produce the T.50 – the world’s lightest, most driver focused supercar

Automotive designer Gordon Murray has designed the ultimate analog driver’s supercar unlike anything ever created

Limited to 100 T.50 supercars worldwide

Canepa selected as the T.50 Supercar North American Representative

Canepa to handle all aspects of customer service; including importation, service/maintenance, and warranty. Canepa will also be a sales outlet for the T.50.

Scotts Valley, CA | July 25, 2019 – UK automotive designer Gordon Murray has become an iconic master of design over the past decades, from Formula One race cars to the legendary McLaren F1 road car. The announcement of Gordon Murray Automotive’s supercar, the T.50, sent a proverbial shockwave throughout the automotive community. Having consulted on the project in its early phase of concept and development, the Canepa Group has been selected as the exclusive North American representative of the T.50 Supercar.

“Cars are meant to be driven, and this may be one of the most exciting road cars ever designed. I am both honored and excited to be a part of this amazing project.” – Bruce Canepa

Canepa is an industry leader in the collector car world; including sales, restoration and motorsports. Located in Scotts Valley, California, Canepa is central to the Silicon Valley and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Experienced in premium luxury and performance vehicles, Bruce Canepa was deemed the perfect fit for Gordon Murray Automotive’s new supercar. As the sole North American representative, Canepa Group will handle all aspects of customer support for the new supercar from beginning to end for North American customers; including sales, importation, service/maintenance, and warranty. Interested parties are invited to contact Bruce Canepa at (831) 430-9940 or bruce@canepa.com regarding available build slots for the T.50.

About the T.50
The T.50 is a masterful blend of design, performance and beauty from one of the most storied automotive designers in the modern world, Gordon Murray. Built around a hand-laid carbon fiber monocoque, the T.50 is extremely lightweight even by today’s standards, weighing in at 2,160 pounds. With a bespoke 650 horsepower, Cosworth-designed 3.9-litre V12 that revs to 12,100rpm mated to a special 6-speed manual transmission, the T.50 promises to deliver one of the best driving experiences in history. Fan-assisted aerodynamics, excellent driving dynamics and the culmination of 50 years’ worth of experience together create one of the best driving cars on the planet, bar none. The T.50 marks Gordon Murray’s 50th automotive project and includes design influences from many of his previous projects. Murray says “We expect this to be the last, and the greatest ‘analogue’ supercar ever built.”

Learn more about the T.50 at www.gordonmurraydesign.com.

Gordon Murray Automotive
Gordon Murray Automotive was launched in November 2017. The T.50 supercar will be the first model manufactured by the new company. Alongside production of its own vehicles, Gordon Murray Automotive will manufacture vehicles on a low-volume basis for external customers.

Gordon Murray Automotive forms part of a new corporate organisation for the engineering group, and is positioned as a sister company to Gordon Murray Design.

Gordon Murray Design
Gordon Murray Design is a visionary design and engineering company with its headquarters in Surrey, UK. It was established in 2007 with a focus on developing an innovative and disruptive manufacturing technology trademarked iStream, and has since built a global reputation as one of the finest automotive design teams in the world.

The company’s unique approach and truly creative thinking enables Gordon Murray Design to deliver complete car programmes in a highly efficient and innovative way from concept and design, through to prototype and development for production.

Professor Gordon Murray, CBE – biography
Gordon Murray was born in Durban, South Africa in 1946 and gained a Mechanical Engineering Diploma from Natal Technical College. He designed, built and raced his own sports car (the IGM Ford) in the National Class in South Africa during 1967 and 1968.

In 1969 Gordon moved to the UK and joined the Brabham Formula One Team as Technical Director, winning two world championships (1981 and 1983) during his 17 years with the team. Gordon joined McLaren Racing as Technical Director in 1988 and three consecutive championship wins (1988, 1989 and 1990) followed. In 1990, Gordon moved away from Formula One – after 50 Grand Prix wins – to concentrate on establishing a new company for the group, McLaren Cars Limited.

The company’s first project, the F1 road car, is still regarded as one of the world’s best-engineered cars. A racing version won two world sports car championships and the Le Mans 24-hour race on its first attempt in 1995. McLaren Cars then completed several other successful projects culminating in the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren programme.

Gordon left McLaren in 2005 to set up a new company Gordon Murray Design Ltd (in 2007), of which he is Chairman and Technical Director. The innovative British company operates from Surrey, UK and aims to be the world leader in automotive design. It reverses the current industry trend for sub-contracting by having a complete in-house capability for design, prototyping and development.

In 2017, Gordon Murray Design celebrated the company’s 10-year anniversary along with that of the iStream® manufacturing process. At a special event, named ‘One Formula’ Gordon Murray also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the McLaren F1 road car entering production, and his 50th year of car design and engineering.

In May 2019, Professor Murray was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William. The ceremony, held at Buckingham Palace, recognised the contributions made by Murray to the motorsport and automotive sectors over the past 50 years.

Enquiries:

North America Enquiries:

For media enquiries: zach@canepa.com

For general enquiries: info@canepa.com

Gordon Murray Automotive Enquiries:

For enquiries regarding T.50, please contact: enquiries@gordonmurrayautomotive.com.

For all media and press related enquiries, please contact our Press & PR team: t50media@gordonmurrayautomotive.com.

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Wed 24 Jul 2019

Gordon Murray Design to licence iStream lightweight seat

Transcal will licence GMD seat, which weighs 30% less than standard unit

Automotive OEM and bespoke projects are new seat targets for Transcal

Weight saving, elegant design and scalability core to Transcal decision

Gordon Murray Design has entered a technology licencing agreement with Transcal Limited to manufacture the iStream® lightweight automotive seat. The new agreement will cover the current seat design, codenamed IS-001. This innovative unit boasts a significant 30% weight saving when compared to a conventional modern seat.

The IS-001 seat licensed by Transcal, a leading automotive supplier of innovative interiors since 1980, will be the world’s first implementation of the iStream lightweight seat. Gordon Murray Design is exploring further automotive and non-automotive designs and applications for the seat.

Transcal, with the support of Gordon Murray Design, plans to release the seat for volume production in the first quarter of 2020. Fully-trimmed units will be available for OEM production and also to custom builders for bespoke applications.

Professor Gordon Murray CBE, Chairman of Gordon Murray Design, said: “We welcome the opportunity to work with Transcal, a business that shares our focus on a more efficient future for the automotive sector and pushing boundaries at every opportunity. The iStream lightweight automotive seat represents a seismic shift in this sector – its innovative construction helps to deliver both economic and environmental benefits.”

The iStream lightweight seat will be on display later this year at:

Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle event – UK: 4-5 September 2019 (to be confirmed)

IAA Frankfurt – Germany: 10-15 September 2019

SEMA – Las Vegas, US: 5-8 November 2019

iStream lightweight seat

The iStream lightweight seat is the product of a research-based project, part-funded through the Innovate UK framework – the Manufacturability of Advanced Passenger Seats (MAPS) – with the objective to develop lightweight automotive seat structures and production methods.

The newly-developed seat can be modified to suit all types of vehicle. Its advanced composite panels and tubular frame construction dramatically reduces structural weight, while maintaining the high-volume, low-cost benefits of Gordon Murray Design’s original iStream technology.

Key advantages of the iStream lightweight seat include:

Lightweight composite structure (sub 12kg)

30% weight saving vs conventional modern seat

Suitable for high- and low-volume applications

Ultra-low tooling and development costs

Simple, high-speed assembly

Low part count

Competitive piece cost

Satisfies all applicable European automotive requirements (UN ECE), including luggage retention requirements

Can achieve low seating position

Anti-submarining design

Full four-way adjustment

-Ends-

About Gordon Murray Design

Gordon Murray Design is a visionary design and engineering company with its headquarters in Shalford in Surrey. It was established in 2007 with a focus on developing an innovative and disruptive manufacturing technology trademarked iStream®, and has since built a global reputation as one of the finest automotive design teams in the world.

About iStream

Rather than the traditional method of combining hundreds of panels of stamped metal, iStream uses tubular metal with 10 – 15 structural composite panels. iStream Superlight® is the ultimate automotive lightweighting technology as it maximises the iStream approach by using cored honeycomb carbon fibre composite and an aluminium frame to save almost 50% in weight against a standard stamped metal chassis.

iStream is an acronym for iS = Stabilised; T = Tube; R = Reinforced; E = Exo-frame; A = Advanced; M = Manufacturing.

www.istreamtechnology.co.uk

About Transcal

Since 1980, Transcal has approached every project with a unique creativity and the objective of creating something truly brilliant. As a leader in innovative and inspiring interiors, we continuously evolve and grow in every way possible with limitless vision. From a bespoke project to several thousand beautifully created cars of a specific model, Transcal has an unrivalled skill and thirst for innovation.Providing inspired interiors that customers find irresistible is in the DNA of Transcal, and any other project is welcomed – regardless of size.For more information, please visit www.transcal.co.uk.

PR contact

For more information, or to request an interview, please contact:
Sarah Smith, Communications Officer at Gordon Murray Design on +44 (0)1483 484700 or sarah.smith@gordonmurraydesign.com.

Sales enquiries

For sales enquiries, please contact:
Dawn Hornby at Transcal on +44(0)1506 440111 or info@transcal.co.uk

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Wed 05 Jun 2019

Gordon Murray Automotive reveals details for its new ‘T.50’: the purest, lightest, most driver-focused supercar ever

Designed to the same exacting engineering standards as the driver-focused McLaren F1; improves upon its iconic predecessor in every way

Mid-engine and rear-wheel-drive layout; famed central driving position and

H-pattern gearbox all key to a matchless experience behind the wheel

All-new V12 to be the highest-revving engine ever used in a production car; produces unrivalled power-to-weight

‘Fan car’ technology delivers the most advanced aerodynamics yet seen on a road car

Unique carbon fibre tub and a focus on minimising the weight of every component underpin ‘lightweighting’ strategy – overall weight is just 980kg

New model will set new standards for supercar packaging, providing driver and two passengers with exceptional comfort, safety, practicality and luggage space

Only 100 exclusive models to be produced costing in excess of £2m (before taxes); deliveries from early 2022.

Gordon Murray Automotive, sister-business of visionary vehicle design and engineering company Gordon Murray Design, has announced details of its first vehicle – the T.50 supercar. Conceived as the spiritual successor to the Murray-devised McLaren F1, the T.50 will be the purest, lightest, most driver-focused supercar ever built.

The development of T.50 is at an advanced stage, with full production and customer deliveries set to commence in early 2022. Just 100 owners of the T.50 will experience Murray’s vision – a supercar inspired by his 50 years at the pinnacle of Formula One and automotive industry engineering and design.

Professor Gordon Murray CBE, Chairman of Gordon Murray Group, said:“An unflinching dedication to lightweighting, highly-advanced active aerodynamics and world-leading standards of advanced engineering will ensure the T.50 rewrites the supercar rulebook. Our experienced team is applying the same uncompromising approach to design and engineering that shaped every facet of the F1, and they are able to deliver substantial improvements over that car in every meaningful way.”

The engineering planning, plus all interior and exterior styling of the new vehicle has been carried out by Gordon Murray Design. It will be manufactured in the UK by Gordon Murray Automotive – a new company first announced in late 2017 at the One Formula exhibition. The event celebrated 50 years of Murray’s career in motorsport and automotive design and engineering, plus it previewed plans to build a limited-run supercar – the T.50. Every race or road car penned by Murray so far has featured a ‘T’ designation; and the T.50 will be the 50th in a highly illustrious line.

The T.50 breaks from performance-car convention, just as the F1 did in 1992. It weighs significantly less than any other current supercar. It has the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car, and it relies on design and engineering excellence to deliver the purest, most driver-focused performance and dynamics of any road car since the F1.

It will be powered by a compact and light, naturally-aspirated, all-new V12 engine. The unit will be capable of an extraordinary 12,100rpm – unparalleled in a V12 road car – and 650hp to deliver unmatched power-to-weight. However, Murray says: “I have absolutely no interest in chasing records for top speed or acceleration. Our focus is instead on delivering the purest, most rewarding driving experience of any supercar ever built – but, rest assured, it will be quick.”

The T.50 adopts the same, iconic three-seat format that Murray pioneered for the F1, with the driver benefitting from a central ‘jet-fighter-style’ driving position. The new car builds on the F1’s highly-advanced aerodynamics, taking Murray’s ground-effect innovations to an all-new level with intelligent management of underbody airflow coupled with a 400mm fan at the rear. The fan actively controls underbody airflow – a feature Murray famously premiered on the Brabham BT46B Formula One ‘Fan Car’. This approach allows the upper surfaces of the car to retain purity and beauty, eschewing the exaggerated scoops and spoilers familiar in the segment and equipping the T.50 with the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car

All engineering, design and styling of the T.50 is by Gordon Murray Design and the car will be manufactured by Gordon Murray Automotive at a new, purpose-built facility in Surrey, UK. Furthermore, all major components will be bespoke and UK-sourced, including the powertrain, body and chassis. This will be a true British supercar.

The T.50, by Gordon Murray Automotive will be priced in excess of £2 million before taxes.

T.50 IN DETAIL

Setting new standards in lightweighting, the T.50 supercar weighs significantly less than any existing supercar

“Automotive enthusiasts and road-test editors have discussed the concept of ‘peak supercar’ for some time,” says Murray. “The reality of chasing top speeds only adds weight, notably through ever-more powerful engines, which increase the requirement for larger, heavier ancillaries. We are taking a very different approach.”

Ingrained in the approach of the Gordon Murray Automotive product development strategy is a fastidious commitment to minimise weight – in every component. “This is the key to achieving enhanced performance and dynamics, and refocusing the supercar on the driver and the thrill of driving. We’re not interested in simply chasing numbers, and never will be,” asserts Murray.

Gordon Murray Automotive will produce the world’s lightest, most driver-focused supercar through sophisticated use of advanced carbon fibre engineering and this fanatical dedication to purging the vehicle of every unproductive gram.

The T.50 supercar will weigh just 980kg – around a third lighter than the average supercar – making it, by far, the lightest supercar ever.

With a clear driver-focus, the external proportions are highly compact (smaller than the footprint of a Porsche 911 at just 4,380mm long and 1,850mm wide) to optimise handling, while the interior is nonetheless spacious and comfortable for three, with ample dedicated space for luggage.

The most advanced aerodynamics of any road car

In rewriting the supercar rulebook, Gordon Murray Automotive set out to equip the T.50 supercar with the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car. The new model will feature intelligent under-body active aerodynamics, which employs continuous, dynamic and interactive underbody ground-effect systems to optimise the driving experience.

Uniquely, the supercar will feature a 400mm ground-effect fan, similar to that on Murray’s famous Brabham BT46B Formula One ‘Fan Car’. The Gordon Murray Automotive team has established a new technical partnership with a Formula One team, which will make its rolling-road wind tunnel available to develop the aerodynamics of the T.50.

With all of the car’s intelligent aerodynamic sophistication housed beneath the car, the upper surfaces are free from unsightly wings, outlets, vents and bulges, safeguarding the purity and beauty of the exterior design. The sense of drama, even when stationary, is amplified by the striking dihedral doors that hark back to the F1 – where they first appeared on a supercar.

An engineering work of art with bespoke powertrain and running gear

Through exquisite engineering, every part of the T.50 is refined to create the purest, most focused supercar ever made – “We expect this to be the last, and the greatest, ‘analogue’ supercar ever built,” says Murray.

The T.50 features a bespoke, mid-mounted, all-new V12 engine that has been designed, developed and built exclusively for Gordon Murray Automotive by Cosworth Powertrain.

The V12 3.9-litre ‘Cosworth Gordon Murray Automotive’ engine will rev to an unparalleled 12,100rpm and develops 650hp and 450Nm torque. Paired with the car’s extraordinary lightness (980kg), it achieves a power-to-weight of 663hp/ton exceeding that of any other naturally-aspirated sports car designed for the road.

The V12 Cosworth GMA engine delivers more power from four litres than the F1 produced with 6.1 litres in 1992, an achievement aided by the inclusion of roof-fed ram-air induction, which increases horsepower to around 700hp.

Cosworth Managing Director, Powertrain, Bruce Wood, said: “We are tremendously excited to be part of the T.50 supercar project, and to have the opportunity to work alongside Gordon Murray Automotive. It is a real privilege to play such a key role in the T.50 with an all-new V12 3.9-litre engine, designed, developed, manufactured and assembled by Cosworth’s industry-leading powertrain division.

“Developing an engine that delivers superlative performance, while meeting stringent emissions targets, is a challenge that demonstrates Cosworth’s unique capabilities. To be so intrinsically aligned with a supercar that puts engine performance, response and light weighting at the very heart of the driving experience is the ultimate accolade and underscores Cosworth’s reputation and capabilities as a leading OEM tier one powertrain partner.”

The Gordon Murray Automotive team was focused on producing the purest driving experience so rejected the use of turbos or electrified powertrain assistance, instead applying attention to engine response.

Murray adds: “By working with the team at Cosworth Powertrain we have created the greatest naturally-aspirated engine ever designed for the road. It is the highest revving, highest power density, lightest and fastest-responding naturally-aspirated V12 ever made for a road car.”

Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a bespoke, lightweight six-speed transmission designed in conjunction with British transmission technology specialists Xtrac. In the furtherance of maximum driver reward and low weight, Murray has specified the T.50 with a newly-designed and developed ‘H-pattern’ six-speed gearbox –..

Gordon Murray Automotive reveals details for its new ‘T.50’