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The GMA T.50S Niki Lauda has passed its final production approval test, with all customer cars expected to be built by mid-2026.
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Development driver (and three-time Indy 500 winner) Dario Franchitti signed off on the T.50S after breaking a GT3 benchmark around Bahrain International Circuit.
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The testing session saw Franchitti pull a maximum of 3.0 g’s under braking, and a peak of 2.7 lateral g’s in the corners.
High-end track cars need to thread a very fine needle. They need to be fast enough and dramatic enough to warrant their eye-popping sticker prices, while also being approachable enough to keep their non-professional racing driver owners from turning into a life insurance payout. Gordon Murray’s newest track special, the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50S Niki Lauda, appears to have done just that, though it certainly leans towards the “Holy **** that’s fast” end of the spectrum.
GMA
According to GMA, the T.50S has officially finished its development. The boutique automaker, along with four-time IndyCar champion and three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti (who also happens to be the resident test driver), took to Bahrain International Circuit for its final shakedown.
Faster than a GT3 Car
Turns out, if you strap someone as fast as Franchitti into a sub-2000-pound car with a V-12 that makes 725 horsepower, you’re in for a fast lap time. According to GMA, Franchitti was able to clock a 1:53.03, which the automaker says is more than seven seconds faster than the GT3 lap record. Strangely, GMA says that the benchmark GT3 lap was set in 2001, which doesn’t make sense, as construction on the Bahrain Circuit didn’t begin until 2002, with the facility not opening until 2004. Fortunately, the World Endurance Championship still runs at Bahrain, so we can compare Franchitti’s time with the 2:01.661 Hyperpole-winning lap set in LMGT3 last year.
GMA
According to GMA, the flying lap came on the final day of testing. The car managed peak figures of 3.0 g’s under braking, 2.7 lateral g’s while cornering, and topped out at 184 mph.
The car isn’t just quick, according to Franchitti. “The T.50S is the most engaging car I’ve ever driven,” he said. “For pure fun factor, it surpasses all other track-only models, my favorite supercars of all time, and even the race cars I drove to multiple world championships.” Those are some strong words, though it should be noted that they come from a man paid by the company who built the car.
Still, now that the T.50S has Franchitti’s stamp of approval, it’s officially out of development and headed for production. Only 25 customer models will be built, with each of them expected to be built by mid-2026. Pricing for the exclusive model started above $3 million, though for the select buyers with that sort of cash, the price tag seems less important than the experience.
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