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The Goodwood Festival of Speed isn’t going to break any straight-line speed records. No. But the historic hill climb does host one of the most eclectic groupings of classic, modern, and concept cars under the sun. One of these noteworthy models is a Gordon Murray T.50S, a defiant supercar throwback with a musical, high-revving V12 engine. 

The Gordon Murray T.50S sang its goosebump-inducing song up to 12,100 rpm at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

If you’re anything like me or the scores of other enthusiasts who grew up drooling over supercars, the sound of a 12-cylinder symphony is enough to prompt goosebumps. Or goose pimples, as Murray and his countrymen would likely call it. By either name, you’re likely to get them when you hear the Gordon Murray T.50S.

In a performance car landscape now characterized by bleeding-edge hybridized hypercars, it’s refreshing to see a mechanical reminder of lost times. That’s exactly what the formula of the T.50S delivers. The fiendishly light (1,878 lbs) hypercar features a naturally aspirated (N/A) V12 engine. Order a V12 from Lamborghini or Aston Martin, and it’s likely to be turbocharged or hybridized.

As a result, Gordon Murray, one of the people behind the iconic McLaren F1, prompted this thing to sing. I mean really sing. The T.50S’s 3.9L V12 engine revs up to 12,100 rpm. That’s reaching inline-four sportbike territory. So, any spectator watching the T.50S pull up for its run must’ve known they were in for a treat.

The lap, while wet, seemed composed. Consequently, the Gordon Murray T.50S likely wasn’t pushing it to the limit. Tragically, the T.50S doesn’t include the same manual transmission as the T.50. However, the rain and lack of a stick didn’t stop the special edition hypercar from performing with its orchestral V12 engine. 

Give the lap a look (and a listen, of course) in the video below!

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).