McLaren F1 supercar designer preps radical city car
Newswheel staff :: 13 July 2007 :: Filed under Gordon Murray Design
A little Murray magic…
Gordon Murray, best known as the designer of the McLaren F1 uber car, has launched his own car design company. And the first project of the imaginatively-monikered Gordon Murray Design company? A radical, fuel-efficient city car, codenamed T25…
At the launch of his new project, Murray said the car represented, “a new class of vehicle. You won’t get in it, sit in it or put luggage in it like a normal car. This will not be just another small big car; it’s just different.”
Uh huh. But different how? The basics of the T25 involve ultra-compact proportions and simple design and engineering, all with a view to light weight and low emissions – both from the vehicle itself when being driven and during the initial manufacturing process. A joined up, holistic sort of efficiency, then.
Apparently, the first models will use a small petrol engine, but the car is engineered to receive a wide range of power plants. As for the list price, that’s expected to be pegged around the £5,000 mark.
Murray has recently been involved with the development of the slightly potty Caparo T1 ultracar
Intriguingly, Murray has no intention to produce the car himself. The plan is to get to full prototype stage within two years and then flog the whole project to a major manufacturer for production in 2010.
For now, Murray’s main financial backing comes courtesy the Caparo Group (the company behind the batty Caparo T1 ultracar).
Other than that, Murray is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding details such as the overall layout. He will only say that he has been polishing the concept since the mid ‘90s.
“I’ve done a massive amount of work over the past dozen years on the financial incentives. People say they want greener cars but they keep buying five-metre, two-tonne cars. But this car will come with a bunch of incentives on things like tax and parking that mean that within four years you’ll pay off the purchase cost with the savings; it’s not just fuel. Basically, the car is free after four years, and if that’s not an incentive I don’t know what else to do. I’ll go back to racing!”
So, there you have it. From million-dollar super car to literally free city car in one simple step. Maybe.
