Gordon Murray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gordon Murray
|
|
|---|---|
| Born |
Ian Gordon Murray
18 June 1946 |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Glenwood High School |
| Alma mater | Durban University of Technology |
| Occupation | Executive chairman |
| Employer | Gordon Murray Design (2005–present) McLaren Group (1987–2004) Brabham (1969–1986) |
| Known for | Brabham Motor Racing Team McLaren McLaren F1 |
| Awards | FIA President Innovation Medal |
Ian Gordon Murray (born 18 June 1946) is a famous South African-British car designer. He is known for designing amazing Formula One race cars. He also designed super-fast sports cars for the road.
Murray worked for the Brabham and McLaren Formula 1 racing teams. Later, he started his own companies. These include Gordon Murray Design and Gordon Murray Automotive.
Contents
Early Life and First Cars
Gordon Murray was born in Durban, South Africa. His parents were from Scotland. His father was a motorcycle racer. He also prepared racing cars.
Murray studied mechanical engineering. He went to Natal Technical College. This school is now called Durban University of Technology.
He even built and raced his own car. It was called the IGM Ford. He raced it in South Africa in 1967 and 1968.
Designing for Formula One
Brabham Years: Innovation on Track
In 1969, Murray moved to England. He hoped to work for a car company. He got a job at Brabham after meeting their designer. Later, Bernie Ecclestone took over Brabham. He made Murray the Chief Designer.
Murray designed many Grand Prix cars. Some of these cars won World Championships. One famous design was the BT46B. It was known as "the Brabham fan car." He also designed the winning BT49 and BT52.
Murray became known for his new ideas. He thought differently about car design and race plans. Between 1973 and 1985, his Brabham cars won 22 Grand Prix races. They helped Nelson Piquet win two Drivers' Championships.
McLaren Success: Winning Championships
In 1986, Murray joined McLaren. He became their Technical Director. He brought his experience to the McLaren design team.
The 1988 MP4/4 car was a huge success. It had a powerful Honda engine. This car won 15 out of 16 races that season. It helped Ayrton Senna win his first Drivers' Championship. McLaren also scored a record number of points.
Murray also helped design the 1989 MP4/5 and 1990 MP4/5B cars. These cars also won championships. From 1988 to 1991, McLaren won four championships in a row. Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna were the winning drivers.
Creating Supercars for the Road
From 1991 to 2004, Murray led McLaren Cars. This part of McLaren designed road-going supercars. His first design was the amazing McLaren F1 in 1992.
In 1995, a special version of the McLaren F1 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. It was the last road-legal sports car to win this tough endurance race.
Gordon Murray Design: Future Cars
In 2007, Gordon Murray started his own company. It is called Gordon Murray Design. He showed plans for a small city car called the T.25. He also mentioned a future lightweight supercar. The T.25 was even smaller than a Smart Fortwo.
In 2009, his company worked with Zytek Automotive. They planned to make an electric version of the T.25. It was called the T.27.
The T.25 won the Royal Automobile Club’s Future Car Challenge in 2010. It got 97 miles per gallon! The T.27 won the electric car class the next year.
In 2019, there was a celebration called One Formula. It showed 50 years of Murray's car designs. All his F1 cars were there. His McLaren F1 road car was also on display.
In 2020, Gordon Murray Automotive announced the T.50 sports car. It is seen as the next step after the McLaren F1. It uses a "fan car" idea from his old Brabham BT46B. Production of the T.50 started in 2022.
In 2022, they announced another supercar, the T.33. It's a two-seater car. It uses the same engine as the T.50.
Other Cool Projects
In 1981, Murray helped improve cars for Midas Cars.
Murray also designed a very light car called the Rocket. It looked like an old Grand Prix race car. It had an open top and a small motorcycle engine. It could fit two people, one behind the other. The Rocket was built by the Light Car Company.
In 2016, Murray helped design the OX truck. This is a low-cost truck that can be flat-packed. It was made for a charity called Global Vehicle Trust. The OX truck helps deliver goods in places where transport is difficult. Murray made four test versions of the truck. Some of these have been made into electric trucks.
Since 2015, Murray has also worked with TVR. He helped design their new car models. The TVR Griffith was released in 2017.
Awards and Recognition
Gordon Murray has received many awards. His old university, Durban University of Technology, made him an Honorary Professor. They also gave him an honorary doctorate.
In 2019, he was given a CBE award. This is a special honor in the United Kingdom. It was for his services to motoring.
In 2022, he won the first FIA President's Innovation Medal. This was for his constant new ideas in car design. In 2024, BBC Top Gear gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award. They called him one of the greatest thinkers in car design.
See also
In Spanish: Gordon Murray para niños
