Gordon Murray receives royal recognition

AUTOMOTIVE designer and engineer, Professor Gordon Murray, has been awarded a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2019.

The accolade is in recognition of his ‘Services to Motoring’ after a lifetime of devising and delivering creative and ground-breaking projects in the motorsport and automotive sectors.

Murray said: “It is extremely humbling to receive a CBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours. I’ve spent more than 50 years doing what I love, working with a wealth of highly-talented and creative people around the world, but primarily in the UK. From the competing during the heyday of Formula One, to designing the world’s fastest supercar, I’ve loved every minute. I’d like to dedicate this honour to all those I’ve worked with over the years and I look forward to an exciting new future for the Gordon Murray Group.”

Murray was born and grew up in Durban.

His father was a motorcycle racer and later prepared racing cars.

Murray studied mechanical engineering at Natal Technical College (now Durban University of Technology), which made Murray an Honorary Professor in 2002 and awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2011.

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He built and raced his own car, the IGM Ford, in the South African National Class during 1967 and 1968.

Murray moved to the UK in 1969 to join the Brabham Formula One Team as Technical Director winning two world championships in 1981 and 1983, and then moved to McLaren International as Technical Director in 1988 where the team won three consecutive championships in 1988, 1989 and 1990.

Having accrued 50 Grand Prix wins in Formula One, he went on to establish a new company – McLaren Cars Limited.

The Company’s first project was the renowned McLaren F1 Road Car. A racing version won two world sports car championships and the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1995.

Murray guided several other successful projects at McLaren Cars, culminating with the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren programme.

In 2005 Murray formed a new British company for the design, engineering, prototyping and development of vehicles – Gordon Murray Design Limited. The Surrey-based company has a global reputation as one of the finest automotive design teams in the world and is responsible for an innovative and disruptive manufacturing technology: iStream.

Murray also recently sponsored the new Science and Technology Centre at Glenwood Preparatory School.

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