The Gordon Murray T.50 Is Jay Leno’s Type Of Supercar

Jay Leno owns a remarkable array of cars, and of all the four-wheelers in his expansive collection, his black McLaren F1 is one of the most recognizable. The comedian has owned his F1 from new and, in the most recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, welcomed in its spiritual successor. We’re, of course, talking about the Gordon Murray T.50, not the odd McLaren Speedtail introduced a few years ago.

The T.50 is different from any other modern supercar. In a world where cars are getting bigger and bigger with each new generation, Gordon Murray was able to design his dream car on the same footprint as a Porsche Boxster, meaning the proportions of the T.50 are very similar to the F1, which was introduced almost 35 years ago.

Watch: The Gordon Murray T.50s V12 Engine Sounds Like A Classic F1 Car

The car’s small size makes it much more maneuverable and still has all the modern creature comforts you’d expect, all while weighing just ~2,200 lbs (~1,000 kg). Leno is also a huge fan of the car’s timeless design, noting that just like the F1, it will look contemporary for decades to come.

Of course, the highlight of the car is the engine. It was built by Cosworth and is a 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated V12 pumping out 654 hp at 11,500 rpm and 344 lb-ft (467 Nm) of torque at 9,000 rpm. Mated to this engine is a six-speed manual transmission that sends power exclusively through the rear wheels.

Curiously, Leno didn’t actually drive the car and was left to sit in the rear with Dario Franchitti behind the wheel. Nevertheless, he seems pretty chuffed as Franchitti revs out the V12, letting it sing and creating a soundtrack that, in a few short years, will be resigned to the history books.