This lightweight sports car is powered with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 220 horsepower.
A new lightweight sports car architecture has been developed by an engineering firm led by Gordon Murray, former F1 designer.
Gordon Murray Automotive is the new builder of the T.43, but the company states that the platform was designed for sale or licensing, so the car may arrive with a different manufacturer’s badge.
The engine produces 220 horsepower from its turbocharged three-cylinder 1.5-liter gasoline engine. This power is delivered to the wheels by a six-speed manual gearbox.
GMA reports that the engine will be installed in the middle of a car measuring 3640 millimeters (143.3 in) long and 1750 millimeters (179.9 in) wide.
GMA claims the car will deliver “exceptional” performance due to its 850-kilogram (1,874-pound) total weight. The company promises class-leading ergonomics and visibility, as well as cargo capacity and “new levels of torsional rigidity and lightnes.”
Gordon Murray Design (GMD), a sister company, and its iStream technology – the most recent version of which was just announced – make all this possible.
GMD claims that it has created an F1-inspired aluminum frame with composite panels. This architecture can save up to 50%, allowing for new gains in efficiency and performance.
GMD claims that the iStream Superlight can be used on any car because it is modular in its construction. This includes Ford Fiesta-sized superminis, Mazda MX-5-style sports cars, large SUVs, and Transit-sized light commercial vehicles.
GMD claims that the platform is compatible with electric cars and that it would be cost-effective for car makers.
Professor Gordon Murray stated that the “new iStream Superlight approach for vehicle manufacturing is a paradigm-shifting invention for the global automobile industry. This breakthrough will make it possible to build the lightest chassis technology in decades. Gordon Murray Design has developed a cost-effective, flexible and affordable way for car manufacturers to significantly improve their vehicles’ performance and efficiency.
GMD points out that the iStream Superlight platform is far more resistant to corrosion than traditional steel structures.
The iStream technology doesn’t just apply to the bodywork. GMD’s lightweight know-how has been applied to vehicle seats. This seat is capable of four-way adjustment and weighs much less than a standard seat. This is due to composite construction which can be made from carbon or glass, reducing the seat’s weight by about 30%.
GMD claims that the design was originally intended for the automotive industry, but could be used to build aircraft and trains.
The T.43 platform for sports cars is not connected to the TVR which Gordon Murray was also involved in.