Not too long after IndyCar legend Dario Franchitti had the opportunity to test out Gordon Murray’s T.50 development car dubbed ‘George,’ he recently had his first chance to drive one of the first T.50 experimental prototypes, complete with the production car’s interior and bodywork.
We all know that the T.50 is fitted with a bespoke 3.9-liter naturally-aspirated V12 created by V12 that can produce as much as 672 hp. It can also rev to 12,100 rpm, but the engine fitted to this prototype is capped at 6,000 rpm. Despite this cap on the revs, the engine still sounds incredible.
Making the powertrain all the more exceptional is the fact that it is coupled to a six-speed manual transmission, complete with a gorgeous shifter just a few inches away from the steering wheel. Throughout the test, Franchitti was joined by two passengers and while squeezing three men into the cabin may seem impossible, it looks relatively spacious.
Watch Also: Dario Franchitti Has A Blast With ‘George’, Gordon Murray Automotive’s T.50 Development Car
After hopping out of the prototype at the end of the test, Franchitti suggests that the 3.9-liter powertrain could be the pinnacle and last hurrah for the internal combustion engine.
Whereas so many other supercar and hypercar manufacturers to launch new models in recent years have been chasing extraordinary levels of power and downforce, all in an attempt to lower lap times, Gordon Murray Automotive has gone down a different route, focusing its attention on the driving experience. As such, the T.50 doesn’t just have a powerful naturally-aspirated engine and a manual transmission, but it is also exceptionally light, weighing just 986 kg (2,173 lbs).