Free Reads

Back to Library >
ti icon

Free Reads

Gordon Murray on the Last Blast podcast

4 years ago

Writer:

Andrew Frankel | Ti co-founder

Date:

22 December 2022

ti icon

Library

Progress report

I put finger to keyboard rather tentatively here, as I’m aware this might appear to be a counterpoint to Andrew English’s 'What I hate about modern cars' piece...

Rain stopped play

A 920bhp prototype worth millions on track day tyres on streaming wet roads. What could possibly go wrong? Andrew Frankel tries hard not to find out

This Christmas we have recorded a very special single episode of our acclaimed Last Blast podcast. To deliver this unique episode we needed a guest of international renown, made famous through achievements in both the road and racing car worlds.  

Who better, then, than Professor Gordon Murray, designer of multiple World Championship-winning Formula 1 cars, creator of the McLaren F1 – the car which expanded the envelope of road car performance more than any other – and whose latest design, the T.50 seems likely to rewrite the rules all over again? 

In an interview lasting over 90 minutes, Gordon takes us right through his career from his earliest days racing in South Africa, his decision to come penniless to the UK and the accidental interview that kicked off one of the most illustrious careers in race car design. Then he takes us through how the F1 came about, his struggle to reconcile his vision for the SLR with that of Mercedes-Benz and why he packed it all in to go and create his own automotive engineering and design consultancy. 

Gordon Murray

At an age when most of us would be delighted to be feet up in front of the fire, Gordon remains brimming with as much enthusiasm and creativity as ever. The six cars from which he has to choose to take his last blast? Well that would be spoiling the fun, but we will say that despite being only our second guest to nominate one of his own designs, the McLaren F1 is not among them. Why? You’ll have to listen to find out.

We’ve made this Last Blast episode freely available to all, meaning you can listen to it on The Intercooler app and website, or on whichever podcast app you prefer. Finally, many thanks to car insurance specialist Footman James for sponsoring this episode and making it possible in the first place. 

Click here to listen to it now.

ti icon

Library

Our Cars: BMW M340i Touring

After 3500 miles in 10 days around Europe, Andrew Frankel now considers himself fully acquainted with the M340i’s many strengths and occasional weaknesses

Corporate or consultant?

If you’re a world-famous car designer, is it better to work for a vast OEM or a small consultancy? Who better to answer the question than Ian Callum?

ti icon

Subscribe

Join The Intercooler's thriving community today and get access to:

Award-winning magazine

Award-winning magazine

Ad-free on website and app

Subscriber-only podcasts

Subscriber-only podcasts

Listen without ads

Audio articles

Audio articles

Listen on the go

Full Library access

Full Library access

1500+ stories, 2m+ words

Subscribe