Unforgettable Car Geniuses: Gordon Murray

Ralph Lauren, the collector at the top of The Key, Top of the Classic Car World's ranking, which bases scores not only on value but also on the importance of the cultural heritage collected and preserved, judges the McLaren F1 to be the most extraordinary car to drive on the track as well as on the road. It ranks it as the Ferrari 250 GTO of the modern era. This car was designed and built in 1991 by Gordon Murray on the enthusiasm of the World Titles won with the famous British marque's single-seaters in Formula 1.
This judgement of the great stylist who habitually drives, with acknowledged talent, his cars has many other confirmations in the form of ever-higher prices at auctions, victories at Concours d'Elegance such as Villa d'Este last year and many more. Among the car's genius is the central driving position that recalls the rationality of the single-seater position. His passion for cars began early when he was still living in South Africa where he was born. Practically self-taught, in 1967 he built his first car with the track in mind. Christened T.1, the car announced the young Gordon's vocation for the principles of light engineering, a philosophy he would never abandon.

Gordon Murray's first car, known as the T.1, was a sports car similar to the Lotus Seven with a Ford engine.

After moving to England, he had no difficulty in gaining the confidence of a Formula 1 team. His quest for innovation led him to Brabham where he became Technical Director, winning 22 Formula 1 victories between 1973 and 1985 and two World Drivers' Titles with Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983.
For the 1986 season he created a radical and ambitious new single-seater, which reduced the overall ride height by tilting the engine and placing the driver in a supine position. It was the BT55 that failed to express its full potential. But Murray knew that concept was right and proved it when, on arriving at McLaren, he decisively influenced the design of the famous MP4/4 that won 15 of the 16 Grands Prix disputed and brought Ayrton Senna the 1988 World Title after a bloody fight with Alain Prost.

The Brabham experience turned out to be a success for Gordon Murray with the winning of two World Drivers' Titles with Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983, pictured here.

As if his great Formula 1 victories were not enough, McLaren's celebrated leader Ron Dennis offered him a challenge that was, as always, an opportunity: to create a road car unlike any other. Thus a legend was born: the McLaren F1, a car that was not simply a supercar but a revolution on wheels. Free from the constraints of Formula 1 regulations, Murray poured his design philosophy into every aspect of the car. The centrepiece was a lightweight monocoque chassis made of carbon fibre, a revolutionary technology at the time. This innovative approach resulted in a car that exceeded expectations: a car with extraordinary performance, while remaining surprisingly practical for a supercar. But the brilliance of the McLaren F1 extended far beyond its lightweight construction.

The 1988 Gordon Murray-designed McLaren MP4/4 in which Ayrton Senna became Formula One World Champion.

Murray's obsession with driver focus was evident in the car's three-seat layout, with the driver positioned centrally as in Formula 1. Every element was designed to create an unparalleled connection between driver and car. The McLaren F1 was not just speed, but a pure driving experience. With a mighty BMW V12 engine producing over 600 horsepower and an unladen weight of around 1,100 kg, the F1 immediately showed itself to be a true force of nature. But more importantly, it delivered that power in a way that communicated directly with the driver, blurring the boundaries between car and driver. Gordon Murray's image with this transition from racing to the road was enriched by moving out of the narrow world of formula 1.me one of the most innovative and influential car designers ever. To this day, the McLaren F1 remains a coveted collector's item and a testament to Murray's visionary genius.

Gordon Murray poses proudly with the development team and drivers Jonathan Palmer and Mika Häkkinen, exceptional test drivers for the McLaren F1.

At the age of 60, Murray decides to go it alone: he leaves McLaren in 2005 and, like an artist, devotes himself to the automotive engineering he feels inside. The main colours of his palette are lightness and the centrality of the driver. His projects can be for small companies, as in the case of the amazing TVR Rocket, or for large manufacturers such as Honda. Valuable is the contribution of ideas and solutions brought to the Japanese manufacturer. On his new path Murray also feels the need to leave behind a car that represents a step forward compared to the McLaren F1. To this end, he set up his own company. Gordon Murray Automotive GMA and put a dream model, the T50, into the pipeline. He plans to produce 100 of them and deliveries are underway. It is the triumph of analogue driving, the original one where the driver personally has everything under control, including the courageous system for generating ground effect according to the principle pioneered by Chaparral in the 1960s. Among the T50's records is its weight: under a thousand kilos, truly spectacular for a homologated supercar. Next 18 June will be his 79th birthday, a boy... he will amaze us again.

The Gordon Murray Automotive T50 presented in 2020. Incredibly light and powerful it takes the concepts dear to the South African designer to extremes.