“The ultimate analogue supercar” is as what Gordon Murray, the creator of the McLaren F1 announced his T.50 some four years ago, very explicitly aiming the new car not only to visually resemble the F1, but take its essence, the driving experience, to a whole new level. In this Murray, no longer working for McLaren but with his own company Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) wanted to create the spiritual successor of the F1, with competition to McLaren´s Speedtail making clear references to the F1, too. This makes you wonder, why model manufacturers are not more eagerly bending over backwards to make it. Our today´s model was announced by Schuco a year ago and was quickly sold out on pre-order. Meko also sells a resin model of the GMA T.50 for twice the money.

Spark´s sealed resin model made for Schuco resembles most of the silver demonstrators that Gordon Murray paraded in front of each and every automotive Youtuber 4 years ago. All the windows aren´t just flimsy foil, but solid plastic. (Unlike the Meko,) A-pillar, window-frames, the roof´s centre spine, engine.covers, rear end, side skirts and the door mirror cameras are clad in carbon foil that unfortunately bubbles in some places. On the C-pillar, we find a nice fuel filler cap on the right and T.50 embossed on the left.

On the doors, we have a detailed “Gordon Murray Automotive Design” badge on the doors underneath the cameras that innovatively replace the door mirrors. Although these rear-view cameras seem to have an inserted crystal to resemble the lenses, the headlights´ lenses received no such treatment and are just averagely moulded and chromed plastic in otherwise well-moulded black housing underneath the clear covers. The indicator streaks´ amber is rather flat painted like the red reflectors inset into the rear diffuser (while Meko has transparent mini-lenses).

On the rear end, the taillights´ transparent tubes mimic the two exhaust tips left and right of the giant fan that Murray originally invented for the Brabham BT46  F1-racing-car and allows the McLaren F1´s successor to retain its short package and clean design; Murray does not want a long Speedtail or excessive spoilers, ducts and canards. Accordingly, the script “fan car” was added while the prototype originally only had the “T.50” badge on the mesh that fences in the mid-engine from the rear. Unfortunately, like on the prototype a black plate behind the mesh blocks any view into the depth of the engine bay from behind, where Meko´s version at least offers a glimpse of exhaust detail. While its pattern is fine, the mesh size is too fine on the Schuco and more accurate on a Meko.

From above, not much can be seen of the engine through the transparent engine canopy either, other than GMA V12 Cosworth proudly embossed in silver on the carbon-fibre engine, tubes and liquid lids moulded into the engine plate. Standing out are the orange suspension springs. This sadly being a sealed model, no access to the engine bay or the cabin is granted, although the hinges are hinted at in the canopy whose generous glazing still offers a generous view into the cabin.

Taking centre stage quite literally, the driver´s seat picks up McLaren and F1 design cues with its central position and the same McLaren signature colour orange used elsewhere on the T.50. While everything else in the cabin, including the gear lever and minimalistic switch gear on the driver´s right, is only moulded resin with colour, all three seats have fabric three-point-belts with photo-etched buckles. The gear lever is aptly prominent, with small shifting paddles discreetly on the spokes of the steering wheel. (Meko seems to have mounted them on the steering column.)

The rims and brakes are replicated very nicely including valves for the tires that sadly remain unbranded.

A model of the GMA T.50 certainly is a desirable addition to any supercar collection, especially if it includes McLarens in general and the F1 in particular. Schuco´s silver T.50 with its orange accents certainly somewhat completes a family photo with a silver McLaren Speedtail (here AUTOart) and particularly a silver F1 (either the new LCD or my old AUTOart). It may be inferior to Meko´s effort in more than one detail, but is that worth twice the price? Without offering the spectacularly show-stopping party tricks of the T.50´s opening doors and engine bay flaps, however, neither of the two is the ultimate model of Gordon Murray´s “ultimate analogue supercar”, I´m afraid.