Gordon Murray Automotive reveals T.33 supercar

GORDON Murray Automotive has taken the wraps off its second all-new model. The freshly minted T.33 slots in beneath the audacious T.50 as the British marque’s ‘everyday supercar’.  

Priced from £1.4m ($A2.7m) and with production limited to just 100 examples, the two-seat GMA T.33 is powered by the same normally aspirated Cosworth GMA 3.9-litre V12 found in the T.50, but the ‘retuned’ motor develops 453kW at 10,500rpm compared with the T.50’s 487kW.

Despite its 11,100rpm rev ceiling the mid-rear mounted powerplant is surprisingly flexible, delivering 75 per cent of its peak torque value (451Nm) from just 2500rpm, and 90 per cent of maximum twist from 4500 to 10,500rpm. Peak torque is delivered at 9000rpm.

Built on a newly developed carbon and aluminium super-lightweight architecture, the T.33 weighs in at just 1090kg – or roughly the same weight as that of the current ND-series Mazda MX-5 – and offers a power-to-weight ratio of 414kW/tonne, bettering that of the McLaren F1.

The T.33 will be produced in right- or left-hand drive guises and customers can choose between 6-speed manual or instantaneous gearchange system (IGS) paddle shift transmissions. Both options are paired with a limited slip differential.

GMA has yet to provide acceleration times or a claimed top speed for its latest model, but says it is engineered to meet the same exciting standards as its bigger brother.

“With the T.33 – our second all-new car – we gave ourselves a very clear brief: to create another timeless design,” GMA founder and CEO Professor Gordon Murray said.

“It has been designed and engineered to the same exacting standards as our T.50, with the same emphasis on driver focus, performance, lightweight and superlative, pure design, but the outcome is a very different motor car. 

“This is a car where comfort, effortless performance and day to day usability are even more front and centre in its character,” he added.

The T.33 is built around what GMA says is a “unique, superlight carbon-fibre monocoque and iFrame featuring corded carbon-fibre panels”. It says the solution saves 300kg against traditional fabrication methods and delivers the perfect balance of torsional rigidity and lightness.

Apart from being extremely agile, the T.33 is also extremely safe, GMA engineers say, because it employs Formula 1 inspired Safety Cell technology. The low-slung coupe rides on lightweight double-wishbone suspension front and rear with coil springs over aluminium alloy dampers.

The front suspension configuration features an anti-roll bar and aluminium alloy uprights. At the rear of the chassis, aluminium alloy uprights and toe control links are deployed, along with an Inclined Axis Shear Mounting (IASM) system, which mounts directly to the transmission casing.

Steering is via a hydraulically assisted rack and pinion arrangement and braking comes courtesy of Brembo-sourced carbon ceramic rotors (370mm front/340mm rear) grabbed by six-piston aluminium monobloc clamps at the front and four-piston calipers up back. 

The offset wheel package comprises lightweight forged aluminium alloys – 19 inches in diameter fore and 20 inches aft. Each weighs less than 7kg and is shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S rubber.

“Like its T.50 and T.50s predecessors, the T.33 is all about the driving experience. We have engineered the T.33 to provide exceptional levels of highly tactile and deeply immersive involvement to elevate the driver to a higher plane behind the ‘wheel,” Prof Murray said.

“Safety is (as) paramount as everyday usability in all weather conditions. Our judiciously calibrated, non-invasive traction and stability systems are designed not to detract from the driving experience but provide an additional level of confidence when called upon,” he explained.

The T.33 does not adopt the rear fan of the T.50; its ground-effect aerodynamic package is based on a passive boundary layer control (PBLC) system, which combines frontal inlet channels with a rear removal duct. The system is said to generate suction levels behind the car that are 30 per cent more effective than those created by a conventional ground-effect supercar.

The implementation of the PBLC system meant that the T.33 could be designed without superfluous wings, spoilers and skirts. The only concession is an active rear spoiler, which provides additional high-speed downforce and performs an aero-enhanced braking function.

“I am extremely proud of our team who have relentlessly applied our core principles to deliver this amazing motor car,” Prof Murray added.

The cabin layout of the T.33 is simple, with Prof Murray saying, “nothing is included unless it serves a purpose… If there was a danger it would dilute the driving experience, then it was simply deleted from the development programme”.

The car is even devoid of column stalks – instead, the indicators are operated by thumb-buttons positioned on the carbon-fibre steering wheel’s horizontal spokes. The T.33’s cabin is driver focused and uses rotary and analogue controls throughout. 

The steering wheel and sports seats are constructed from carbon-fibre, while the dashboard is dominated by a flood-lit 120mm tachometer. The remaining primary and secondary controls are hewn from aluminium alloy.

An Apple CarPlay- and Android Auto-compatible audio system is included as standard. 

In keeping with its “everyday usability”, the T.33 has one front and two side luggage lockers that provide up to 280 litres of cargo space – or enough for six large suitcases, Prof Murray says.

“Our focus for this project has been to deliver absolute driving perfection. And while the engine may be the heart and soul of a supercar, the cabin and its controls provide the conduit through which the driver engages with the engine and the car’s other attributes,” he emphasised.

“The T.33’s driver-focused cabin enables each journey, no matter how short, to be relished free of distraction and provides the practicality for longer trips to be undertaken,” Prof Murray added.

GMA says its cars are designed with “sensible servicing costs in mind” and may be maintained via a global network of service centres and authorised workshops.

Deliveries of the GMA T.33 are expected to commence globally early in 2024.