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The GMA T.50S Niki Lauda has passed final production approval testing, with all customer vehicles expected to be produced by mid-2026.
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Development driver (and three-time Indy 500 winner) Dario Franchitti chose the T.50S after breaking the GT3 benchmark at Bahrain International Circuit.
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During the test, Franchitti’s maximum pulling force when braking was 3.0 g, and the peak lateral pulling force in corners was 2.7 g.
High-end railcars require threading a very fine needle. They need to be fast enough and compelling enough to warrant their eye-popping sticker price, yet approachable enough to prevent non-professional racer owners from turning into life insurance payouts. Gordon Murray’s latest track special edition, the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50S Niki Lauda, seems to do just that, although it certainly leans toward the “holy fast” end of the spectrum.
General Motors Manufacturers Association
According to GMA, the T.50S has officially completed development. The boutique automaker headed to the Bahrain International Circuit for final testing with four-time IndyCar champion and three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, who is also its resident test driver.
Faster than a GT3 car
It turns out that if you strap a guy as fast as Franchitti into a car that weighs less than 2,000 pounds and has a V-12 engine making 725 horsepower, you’re going to get fast lap times. According to GMA, Franchitti’s time was 1:53.03, which the automaker says is more than seven seconds faster than the GT3’s lap record. Oddly, GMA says the benchmark GT3 lap time was set in 2001, which doesn’t make sense as construction of the Bahrain track didn’t begin until 2002 and the facility didn’t open until 2004. Fortunately, the World Endurance Championship is still taking place in Bahrain, so we can compare Franchitti’s time to last year’s 2:01.661 ultra-pole winning lap in LMGT3.
General Motors Manufacturers Association
According to GMA, the flying lap was completed on the last day of testing. The car has a peak torque of 3.0 g when braking, a lateral torque of 2.7 g when cornering, and a top speed of 184 mph.
Franchitti said the car isn’t just fast. “The T.50S is the most engaging car I’ve ever driven,” he said. “In terms of sheer fun, it surpasses all other track-only cars, my all-time favorite supercar, even the car I’ve driven in multiple world championships.” Those are some strong words, but it’s worth noting that they come from a man who is paid by the company that makes the car.
However, now that the T.50S has been approved by Franchitti, it has officially ended development and entered production. Only 25 customer models will be built, each expected to be produced by mid-2026. Exclusive models start at over $3 million, but for select buyers with that kind of cash, the price tag seems less important than the experience.
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