This news article is an extract from a Gordon Murray Automotive press release.

Professor Gordon Murray CBE: “More than half of any truly great driving experience is delivered by the engine, so right from the start I set the highest possible benchmark – to create the world’s greatest naturally-aspirated V12.”

Ahead of the global premiere of the T.50 supercar on 4 August, more information has been released on our bespoke GMA V12 engine – one of our most challenging briefs to-date.

The 3.9-litre powerplant will be the highest revving, fastest responding, most power dense, and lightest naturally aspirated V12 road car engine ever. Meticulously designed and engineered, it combines the immense experience of Gordon Murray Automotive and our company in high-performance engines to be the most engaging, characterful and driver-focused V12 ever produced.

Bruce Wood, Cosworth Managing Director, said: “The criteria and benchmarks set by Gordon for the T.50 engine comprised one of the toughest engine briefs we’ve ever taken on. It pushes the boundaries in every direction and it is a genuine thrill for everyone at Cosworth to be part of what will surely become as fabled a vehicle as Gordon’s McLaren F1 before it.”

The original inspiration for the engine was to be small capacity, characterful and powerful. We proposed the capacity could be just 3.9-litres and still achieve supercar performance.

Not only does the T.50’s V12 promise screaming high-end power, it is also tractable for everyday driving. The maximum torque figure of 467Nm is produced at 9,000rpm, but key to ensuring day-to-day driveability is that 71% of the engine’s torque will be produced from as low as 2,500rpm.

In its most extreme aerodynamic setting – Vmax Mode – the car gains around 50PS from the 48-volt integrated starter-generator, combining motorsport slipstream technology and ram air induction to boost performance even further.

The record breaking engine will deliver maximum power (663PS) at 11,500rpm. It will also be the most responsive naturally aspirated road-car engine ever produced, revving from idle to its 12,100rpm redline in 0.3 of a second.

The T.50 engine produces the highest power density of any naturally aspirated road car engine ever made – 166PS-per-litre. This record, coupled with the lightness of the unit, places this engine right at the pinnacle of naturally-aspirated powertrain development.

To achieve the lowest weight possible, the block in the T.50 is made from a high-strength aluminium alloy, the crankshaft is made from steel and weighs only 13 kilograms, and the connecting rods, valves and clutch housing are all made from titanium.

When it comes to sound, the T.50 promises to be one of the best sounding road car engines ever made. The car features Direct Path Induction Sound, channelling the sound of the raucous V12 straight into the cabin for maximum driver enjoyment.

The size, weight and well-considered positioning of the T.50’s engine all play a key role delivering the car’s overall low centre of gravity. The new supercar’s crank sits just 85mm from the bottom of the engine. This is largely as a result of our innovative design, which scavenges oil using windage to ensure that the crank sits as close to the sump line as possible.

The T.50’s engine bay is designed to present the engine in all its glory. Housed beneath duel ‘gullwing’ openings, the engine sits proudly without covers to focus on the raw beauty of the V12.

In many ways the car serves as the antithesis to the modern supercar, presenting a clean and contemporary celebration of the engine, evocative of the stripped-back approach evident with 1960s performance cars.

Read the full release here. 

Read here for the full engine spec.