05 Jul 07 11:37
Gordon Murray and design team
Gordon Murray, designer of the McLaren F1 road-going supercar as well as grand prix cars for Brabham and McLaren, has announced the first details of his long-rumoured city car project.
The Type 25 - so named because it's Murray's 25th car - is to be an ultra-economical, environment-friendly and affordable city car, aimed at first-time buyers, city dwellers, commuters, hire car fleets and second-car buyers. He aims to create a car as cool as the original Mini, Fiat Cinquecento and
Smart Fortwo, undercutting its opposition in price and running costs, yet being as safe to drive as a conventional small hatchback.
The T25 will make its fuel savings not through a hybrid or electric powertrain, but by its very low weight - around 400kg less than similarly sized conventional vehicles. It will be made from high-tech materials, and Murray promises 'innovative architecture and packaging which will facilitate low-cost manufacturing and drastically reduce running costs'.
Murray pays tribute to the Smart, but says that the T25 will be less compromised in its all-round abilities. Though it will take up little space on the road - thus contributing to a reduction in congestion and parking problems - it will have a high seating position and high roof, so drivers will remain within the sightlines of other vehicles and not feel vulnerable.
The T25 itself will not reach production: Murray is to produce running prototypes, then licence the technology and designs to carmakers to produce a vehicle under their own brand name. His new company, Gordon Murray Design, will then support clients in bringing the car to production, as well as in the development of further variants using different body styles, fuels or powertrain options. Many different types of vehicle can potentially be constructed around the same basic architecture. 'The ultimate target is to create a new class of vehicle on a worldwide basis,' says the company.
McLaren F1, designed by Murray
Next project on the way from Gordon Murray Design 'will take a similarly radical approach to high-performance sports cars... a car which absolutely reverses the trend towards larger, heavier and more powerful supercars', says Murray.
'This car will give the driver all the driving feedback and pleasure that a good power-to-weight ratio and vehicle dynamics can deliver, but from light weight and modest power. The result will be a more affordable and a more environmentally friendly supercar. The company is also gearing up during the next 12 months to undertake a race programme.'
Murray's team, based in Shalford, Surrey, includes ex-McLaren vehicle development head Frank Coppuck (engineering director), former McLaren and Lotus designer Barry Lett (design director), ex-McLaren and Brabham motorsport engineer Bruce McIntosh (head of engineering), Chrysler and TWR design engineer Andy Jones (head of design), former McLaren facilities manager Mark Lewis (head of operations) and CAD specialist Kevin Richards (head of visualisation), who has worked at Aston Martin, TWR Jaguar Sport, McLaren, Caparo and Lola.
The company's major investors are the US venture capitalists Mohr Davidow Ventures and the UK-based Caparo Group, whose own vehicle division is producing the Caparo T1 supercar.
Related links
Feature: £1 million McLaren F1
Feature: The Most Expensive Cars Ever
