WHAT THE PROFESSOR DID NEXT
THIS IS THE CAR that the world’s most famous supercar designer has spent the best part of three decades thinking about and planning, one he hopes will be the ‘last great analogue supercar’.
The T.50’s technical specification seems both heroic and impossible, with a central driving position, a naturally aspirated V12 capable of making 654bhp and revving to 12,100rpm, a sub-1000kg kerbweight, active aerodynamics through a 48-volt fan system, and – the crowning glory of glories – a six-speed manual gearbox.
Yet within five minutes of the beginning of my interview with Gordon Murray, discussion has already turned to the rarely considered area of switchgear feel and weighting.
‘I’ve finally found a company that can build a switch with no spindle play,’ says Murray, his enthusiasm obvious despite the low-resolution image of the grainy video call that connects us. ‘With the McLaren F1 we had lovely machined aluminium knobs and buttons but there was still that annoying thing that all modern cars have, spindle movement in the wrong direction – you put your finger
