Gordon Murray Automotive has given its track-only special edition hypercar a dynamic debut at Goodwood.
Revealed at this weekend’s Members’ Meeting, the prototype T.50s Niki Lauda XP1 (the red car pictured above) took to the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit in front of a capacity crowd.
Fittingly, the 81st Goodwood Members’ event was dedicated to celebrating the life of Niki Lauda and his successful Formula 1 career during the 1970s and 1980s.
Celebrating motorsport success
First announced in 2021, the aero-enhanced, non-road-legal T.50s Niki Lauda is designed to offer ‘an on-track experience like no other car to date’.
The T.50s weighs less than 900kg and is powered by a 772hp version of the Cosworth-engineered 3.9-litre V12 engine. Up to 1,200kg of downforce is available, aided by a 400mm rear-mounted fan.
Limited to 25 examples – all now sold out – each of the Niki Lauda editions will be named after victories by Gordon Murray-designed cars. They will commemorate his first 24 Grand Prix wins at different circuits, along with a famous endurance race title.
The series of dedications starts with the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1974. It concludes with the McLaren F1’s victory at Le Mans in 1995.
More GMA cars coming soon
The dynamic debut of the Niki Lauda XP1 follows news that Gordon Murray Automotive will move production of the T.50 supercar to its new Highams Park headquarters.
This allows GMA to use its existing Dunsfold Park facility to create more pre-production prototypes of the T.33 supercar. A total of 27 prototypes must be made to satisfy crash testing and homologation requirements.
One of the first completed T.33 prototypes, nicknamed ‘James’, also took to the track at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting.
This gave enthusiasts the first chance to hear the new 617hp GMA.2 V12 engine in anger, as it revved beyond 11,000rpm.
Marking a milestone
Ahead of the event, Gordon Murray CBE said: “The dynamic debuts of the GMA T.33 mule and GMA T.50s XP1 mark an important milestone in the development of both supercars.
“I’m also proud that we will participate in honouring a man who was a one-of-a-kind racer and a great friend by showcasing the T.50s Niki Lauda at Goodwood.
“Additionally, revealing the 25 historically significant motor racing names for our track-only T.50s is the perfect way to celebrate a favourite event for me and the whole GMA team.”
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