Gordon Murray reveals T.33 supercar

Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) has unveiled their new ‘T.33’ supercar, with claims it’s the most accomplished two-seat supercar of all time.

The second new product from GMA, following on from the T.50 that was released in 2020, the T.33 is pitched as a more versatile sibling to that model.

“[The T.33] 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,” says Gordon Murray, CBE.

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

While they share the same engine, the T.50 and T.33 differ in terms of tuning and performance, as well as styling and other features. The T.33 also features a conventional left- and right-hand drive seating configuration, rather than the central driving position of the T.50.

Styling

Less ostentatious than the T.50 in its styling (there’s no downforce-generating rear fan, for example), the T.33 design echoes elements of sports cars from the 1960s and ‘70s in features like the tail lights, and periscope air scoop. A few touches from the all-new TVR Griffith that Murray designed can also be seen.

"The beauty of simplicity is the key to the design of every GMA model, and the new T.33 is no exception,” says Murray.

“Each component and every curve and radius is a bespoke design on the T.33 and is there because it has a function to perform.”

The aerodynamic functionality incorporated into the design of the carbon fibre body is less obvious than that on the T.50, but GMA says numerous learnings have been applied to the new car to create what they call “a new era of road car ground effect aerodynamics”.

Innovations include a Passive Boundary Layer Control system that’s said to be 30 per cent more effective than conventional ground effect aerodynamics and eliminates the need to incorporate wings and other obvious aero assistance features into the design.

There is an active rear spoiler on the T.33, though, which can be driver activated or set to operate automatically.

Chassis, Suspension and Brakes

Underpinning the T.33 is a superlight carbon fibre and aluminium ‘iFrame’ monocoque architecture, which Murray says delivers the perfect balance of torsional rigidity and lightness.

This, along with the carbon fibre body panels and other lightweighting measures, results in a total vehicle weight of 1,090kg – 100kg more than the T.50, but 300kg lighter than other supercars in the T.33’s class, according to GMA.

An all-new suspension package was developed to suit, with lightweight double wishbones combined with coil springs and alloy dampers front and rear. An anti-roll bar is added at the front, while the rear ‘ISAM’ system mounts the suspension components directly to the transmission, with torsional loads supported by the chassis.

As with the suspension, the steering has been developed specifically for the T.33 and features a bespoke rack and pinion set-up with hydraulic power assist.

The braking package is made up of Brembo ceramic discs – 370mm front and 340mm rear – with six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston at the rear.

Wheels are 19-inch front and 20-inch rear forged alloy units, weighing less than 7kg each and fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres as standard. These are commercially available tyres and not created for the T.33, reflecting the "real world supercar” mantra that drove its development.

Engine and Transmission

“The engine is the heart and soul of any supercar. And to ensure driving perfection, it must be bespoke, and it must be normally aspirated,” says Murray.

While the ‘GMA.2’ V12 used in the T.33 is based on the unit fitted to the T.50 and is of the same 3.9-litre capacity, it has been changed in key areas, including modified heads and new camshafts, variable valve timing, engine mapping and exhaust, while a ram induction intake is exclusive to the car.

Co-developed with Cosworth, the V12 produces 452kW at 10,500rpm and 451Nm at 9,000rpm in the T.33, with 75 per cent of total torque available at just 2500rpm and 90 per cent available from 4,500rpm to 10,500rpm.

“We are 100 per cent confident that the GMA.2 V12 provides the perfect match for the T.33’s driving characteristics,” Murray adds.

The mid-mounted engine is connected to a six-speed gearbox developed by British transmission experts, Xtrac, and while it uses some elements of the T.50 transmission, is bespoke to the new car. Manual shifting will be standard, with paddle shifters optional.

Interior

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the T.33 design is found inside. There are no large touchscreens or an abundance of tech. And while digital information is presented to the driver, the instrumentation is dominated by a large 120mm diameter analogue tachometer.

There are no column stalks, either, with the indicators operated by buttons on the steering wheel. The lights, air conditioning, wipers, rear spoiler and other features are all operated via conventional dials and switches, too, with the centre console controls for the engine mode settings and other adjustments similarly analogue.

There is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility as standard, though, with its operation displayed in the right-hand digital instrument screen, with other car data, including speed, engine mode and spoiler position, in the left-hand screen.

The steering wheel and adjustable seats are carbon fibre, while storage space, including two side lockers for luggage, totals at 280 litres.

According to GMA, nothing was included inside unless it served a purpose, which explains the fairly bare interior. While no information on materials for the interior trim has been released, Alcantara seems to feature on the seats and door cards, with a different colour for the driver’s seat - a flourish that’s been seen on some other supercars.

Light alloy pedals are fitted and milled aluminium facings can be seen inside, with an individually numbered plaque on the centre console.

Safety and driver assistance features include ABS, switchable stability and traction control, four airbags, 3-point seat belts, a reversing camera and remote central locking.

100 Only

When the T.33 was announced in January, GMA stated that only 100 units would be built, and while all will be to the same specification mechanically, there will be an ability for customers to work with the GMA design team to personalise their car’s features, like the exterior colour, seating and interior specification. A range of options will be available, too.

Despite pricing starting at £1.37 million (AU$2.6 million approx.), all 100 units of the T.33 were sold little more than a week after it was revealed.

Orders are said to have come from all over the world, but how many, if any, came from Australia is unknown.

Production of the T.33 will begin in 2024.