Gordon Murray Automotive secures fresh investment
First GMA customer is now an investor, with $120m coming to 'safeguard the long-term legacy of the brand'
The first customer of the Gordon Murray Automotive brand, a man who has ordered every single GMA supercar in fact, is now an investor and director on the board. Tarik Ouass, along with JR Rahn, are managing partners of Halo Cars Group, a company that’s investing $120m (basically £90m) into Gordon Murray Automotive. Definitely one way to get yourself on the Christmas card list.
The money will be used for two things. The first is getting the cars envisioned by the recently launched Special Vehicles division into real life. (It’s believed that Ouass was the customer who commissioned the S1 LM, so he’ll be keen for SV to go from strength to strength.) The second avenue for the ‘strategic investment’ is to get those models already in the GMA pipeline - things like the T.33 and T.50s Niki Lauda - out the door. Otherwise known as ‘the timely delivery of the current vehicle order book’.
Next month it’ll be four years since the T.33 was first revealed, and you bet customers will be chomping at the bit to get hold of their manual V12; the T.50 was first shown in August 2020, the T.50s in February 2021, and the 100th T.50 was made at Highams Park last month. If the delays have been cashflow related, the Halo Cars Group money will surely help move things along.
The cash injection comes with a shakeup of the GMA management. Both Rahn and Ouass join the Board of Directors, with CFO Darren Jukes now interim CEO; the main man continues as Chairman and Chief Designer, apparently with a plan for the company that takes it all the way to 2039. When Murray said in a recent interview with PH that he didn’t see himself stopping anytime soon, it was apparently no exaggeration. He added: “I am confident that I have found the right partners who value our seven principles and will support my legacy moving forward. Tarik Ouass was the very first customer to order a T.50 and has acquired every motorcar we have ever created. I am excited for the next chapter with Tarik and his investment partner JR Rahn”.
Until now, the pair behind Halo Cars Group has primarily invested in Silicon Valley tech companies, this move representing a first foray into automotive . The new company ‘brings a shared passion for the Gordon Murray brand and a commitment to supporting its continued focus on engineering art and lightweight philosophy’. With someone as keen on the brand as Ouass involved (think of the cost of buying a T.50, T.33, T.50s and S1LM), the future of GMA seemingly looks as rosy as it ever has.
The man himself said: “This is not an investment in scale, but in further scarcity. Our investment mandate is the complete opposite of a conventional growth investment in automotive. We believe that further limiting allocations of an already very exclusive production is what allows Gordon Murray’s bespoke craftsmanship and engineering artistry to endure for generations.” Which sounds like those Special Vehicles projects, the even more limited and more expensive dream machines from Gordon Murray, will go from strength to strength. Expect to find out more in 2026.
Although I suppose you could argue that McLaren haven t done too badly
But the deal should also be a reminder to anyone overjoyed at any EV relaxations as to which segment of the ICE market benefits and to not be distressed when the penny eventually drops. Lots of deals to grab niche ICE platforms currently under way.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff