In the environment of amphibious off-roads, the radical GMA T.50 appeared. Conquering the Arctic Circle with an uncompromising sports car was accompanied by the roar of the V12 and controlled skids driven by the rear.
Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) visited the territory of completely opposite-oriented vehicles as part of the preparation of small series production of the T.50 model. The British put on their battering rams and went off-road to test a radical hypersport characterized by the loud roar of the high-revving Cosworth GMA V12 engine.
The final phase of the development went beyond the Arctic Circle to Arvidsjaur in Sweden. The automaker does not expect to deliver the T.50 to Lapland, but it was still desirable to test the technology under the extreme load of drastically low temperatures. Continuous freezing testing provided GMA with the analytical data to respond to the need for maximum reliability even in a design as narrowly focused as the T.50.
Together with the home team, representatives of the Continental company went north, and were put in charge of security elements. The daily program on snow and ice shaped the outputs used subsequently to adjust the car’s handling during the loss of adhesion, specifically thanks to the expedition, the assistants and electronic stability aids were verified in all circumstances.
A video from the white plains shows kilometers of controlled skids, cross-sections of the landscape complement the on-board footage and a large part of the vlog belongs to an interview with test rider Gareth Howell. The slouchy coupe feels extravagant in rough terrain, although the T.50’s performance showed no signs of faltering in the frigid climate – the test driver even praised the grip of the winter tires.
Tires were provided by Michelin and Howell was genuinely surprised by the level of grip all the wheels had despite the slippery surface and the fast pace that comes in the blink of an eye. He also gave an absolutely fantastic assessment of the stability and controllability given the roughly one-ton weight. He also enjoyed the tests thanks to the six-speed manual and the possibility to eliminate interference from electronics, which will need to be calibrated before sale.
Temperatures dropped to 25 degrees below zero, so the participants expected far bigger problems than they had to solve in the end. Small flaws will be part of the evaluation of the business trip, in general and in front of the camera there is satisfaction quite logically influenced by the wonderful environment. Seeing and hearing 663 horses (488 kW) in the wild is an experience even for experienced engineers, and even Howell couldn’t hide his sincere joy at the Swedish adventure.
