GMA T.25: Gordon Murray’s Brilliant City Car You’ve Never Heard Of

Ingenious Minimalism - In a world where supercars often steal the spotlight, the quiet brilliance of a tiny city car might seem easy to overlook. Yet, when that city car comes from the mind of Gordon Murray—the same genius who brought us the McLaren F1 and the V12 symphony of the GMA T.50—it deserves a closer look. While most people associate Murray with thundering engines and cutting-edge race tech, one of his most curious creations was designed not for the racetrack, but for the narrow, crowded streets of modern cities.

The GMA T.25 three-seater microcar was meant to revolutionize urban transport—but it never saw the light of day. (Picture from: CarThrottle)

The GMA T.25, introduced in 2010, wasn’t just another quirky compact. It was a radical rethink of what a city car could be. Designed with urban efficiency in mind, it aimed to tackle congestion, reduce emissions, and streamline the production process. From the outside, it looked almost like a toy, but underneath that compact shell lay an engineering mindset as advanced as any of Murray’s high-performance machines.

The GMA T.25 three-seater microcar was powered by a 660cc petrol engine, the same one used in a Smart Fortwo, delivering a modest 51 horsepower. (Picture from: CarThrottle)

Smaller than a Smart Fortwo, the T.25 borrowed its engine from the same source—a 660cc unit delivering a modest 51 horsepower. That might not sound impressive, but the T.25 weighed just 575kg, thanks to a lightweight composite body. And in typical Murray fashion, the seating layout was anything but typical: three seats, with the driver front and center, flanked by two passengers slightly behind. It was a layout first seen in the legendary McLaren F1, and later revived in the T.50. That detail alone tells you this wasn’t just another city runabout.

Gordon Murray also designed an electric version of the T.25, called the T.27, though it required more advanced battery technology. (Picture from: CarThrottle)

What really set the T.25 apart, though, was the innovative iStream production method behind it. This approach was designed to cut down both the cost and environmental impact of building a car. With fewer parts, lighter materials, and simplified manufacturing processes, iStream wasn’t just a technical experiment—it was a potential game-changer for how small cars could be built around the world. So, what actually happened to it? The truth is, no one really knows. Back in 2013, Murray confirmed that the rights to both the petrol-powered T.25 and its electric sibling, the T.27, had been sold to a customer. 

Gordon Murray posed alongside his brilliant city car concepts: the petrol-powered T.25 and its electric sibling, the T.27. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

The concept made enough waves that it even caught the attention of Shell, who eventually acquired the rights and unveiled their own take on the T.25 in 2016, calling it Project M. Despite promising discussions with several manufacturers, however, the car never reached mass production. Whether due to market timing, business priorities, or simply the risk-averse nature of the auto industry, the T.25 remains a prototype with untapped potential.

The GMA T.25 made such an impact that it caught Shell’s attention, leading them to acquire the rights and unveil their own version in 2016, called Project M. (Picture from: CarThrottle)

It’s hard not to wonder what cities might look like if the T.25 had made it to the streets. Compact, efficient, and refreshingly original, it was the kind of car urban environments desperately needed but never fully embraced. At the same time, it’s possible that stepping away from such side projects allowed Murray to channel his energy into creating masterpieces like the GMA T.33 and T.50—vehicles that pushed the limits of what performance cars can be.

In the end, the T.25 stands as a reminder that great ideas don’t always roar. Sometimes, they hum quietly through side streets, offering smart solutions in small packages. And even if the world wasn’t quite ready for it, the brilliance of the T.25 still shines as a symbol of what happens when big thinking meets small spaces. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARTHROTTLE | AUTOEVOLUTION | CARBUZZ ]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.