Gordon Murray S1 LM sells for record $20.6 million at Las Vegas auction
All eyes were on Las Vegas over the weekend as Formula 1 rolled into town for a feast of racing action.
In the end, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went home happy, enjoying not only a win but also the disqualification of title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to keep the race for the World Championship wide open.
Headlines made at the world’s hottest new car auction
Across town, in the build-up to the racing action, the amfAR charity Gala took place at Wynn Las Vegas and saw one of the world’s most exciting new cars - the Gordon Murray Special Vehicle’s S1 LM - available to buy at auction.
The GMSV S1 LM was unveiled in August during Monterey Car Week as a modern take on the 1995 Le Mans-winning McLaren F1 GTR. Made from all-new ultra-lightweight carbon fibre panels, it is powered by a bespoke 4.3 litre V12, producing 710bhp and operated through a six-speed manual gearbox.
All five were purchased by a single individual, and the identity of who bought them and their whereabouts are still unknown to the public. It was assumed that we wouldn’t be seeing any of the five in the wild again, that was until Chassis #1 was helicoptered into the Las Vegas auction and sold for an eye-watering $20,630,000 (£15,772,773.78) million. It is now the most expensive non-charitable new car ever sold at auction.
The Gordon Murray S1 LM being helicoptered across Las Vegas
“A defining moment for our entire team and for the automotive world”
The world record sale shocked Gordon Murray himself, who said he was humbled by the scale of appreciation.
Murray said: “This world record auction result is a defining moment for our entire team and for the automotive world. The S1 LM represents everything I have learned in six decades of design – a pure expression of driving perfection, engineering art, and a true return to beauty. To see it achieve this scale of appreciation is truly humbling.”
A dream ownership experience awaits winning bidder
So what will the winning bidder get for their $20.6 million?
The winning bidder will now have personal specification sessions with Professor Gordon Murray to tailor their S1 LM to their taste and participate in development drives alongside three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti.
The GMSV team will be on hand to guide them through the process, while the winning bidder will also have the opportunity to ‘contribute to the artistry and engineering’ behind the car. It is a dream ownership experience, and topped off by the inclusion of a 500 page monograph about the S1 LM’s creation, that includes original sketches and notes from Gordon Murray’s design notebook.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: Gordon Murray Special Vehicles