Gordon Murray S1 LM is a stunning modern take on the McLaren F1 GTR
Is this one of the best-looking cars of all time?
Car designing legend Gordon Murray’s new heritage company - Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) - has revealed its first two supercars during Monterey Car Week in California.
While Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) focuses on hand-built production cars, GMSV is in the business of creating one-off commissions, including limited edition special designs and heritage-inspired continuations.
The two cars are inspired by the 1995 Le Mans-winning McLaren F1 GTR and come from GMSV's ‘SV Design’ and ‘Bespoke’ product lines.
Gordon Murray S1 LM
This truly stunning car is a recreation of the McLaren F1 GTR and has wowed publications and social media since its reveal.
The name ‘S1’, meaning ‘Special One’, is officially the first vehicle to be commissioned by GMSV and was inspired by Murray’s 1990s designs and win at Le Mans in 1995, where McLaren GTRs also finished in four of the top five places in the official standings.
Despite being a completely new build, at first glance, it looks similar to the original. The ultra-lightweight structure has been created with carbon fibre body panels; however, a newly lowered roofline and a new aero package featuring a front splitter, rear diffuser and dual element rear wing bring this supercar into the modern era. Nods to Le Mans are seen in the lights, which are seamlessly worked into the LM’s sculpted bodywork.
Professor Gordon Murray, Group Executive Chairman: “I love timeless design. I never want us to join the race to make the most outrageous looking supercar at expense of balance, beauty and proportion. Look at the result, the car is timeless and beautiful.”
Powering the S1 LM is an exclusive 4.3-litre V12, which produces 690bhp and is paired with a bespoke Inconel exhaust system featuring four centrally mounted exhausts. The engine - capable of revving 12,100rpm - is wrapped in a fancy 18-karat gold-foiled heat shielding, with extra space created by removing the rear fan and oil cooling pack.
Help has come from the T.50s and T.50 in putting together the manual gearbox, while a bespoke suspension system, lower ride height and unique damper settings, along with the solid-mounted engine, give a purer driving experience, all while minimising noise and vibration.
Inside, there’s a race-inspired cockpit designed to cater to its central driving position, which GMSV says feels like a “fighter jet-style environment”. Again, lightweight materials have been used as part of an overall minimalist design, although, like the T.50, there’s room for a couple of passengers on either side.
Only five road-legal S1 LM models will be built by GMSV’s Bespoke division, and according to chatter online, all will be heading to the same buyer in 2026 for an ‘undisclosed price’. Hopefully, we’ll get to see them on the road at some point, as, in my opinion, it is truly one of the best-looking cars of all time.
Gordon Murray Le Mans GTR
Next, we have the Le Mans GTR, which takes inspiration from Murray’s longtail creations to take on the famous French circuit, while adding touches from other iconic cars like the Matra-Simca MS660, Porsche 917, and Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3. This one is a creation from the SV Design division, with the brand saying it ‘blends road-going capability with track-inspired precision’.
Powering the Le Mans GTR is a GMA V12 engine; however, this time, there’s no need for the rear-mounted fan seen on the T.50 and T.50s. Larger air vents at the front and side-pod intakes ahead of the rear wheels help with engine and gearbox cooling.
A full-width rear wing helps deliver an optimal balance of downforce and drag for road and track, and overall, the car has a stiffer and lighter suspension, optimised weight distribution, and a double exhaust that helps deliver a controlled V12 soundtrack.
Inside, there isn’t a compromise on quality despite the car’s overall focus on driving experience. Newly designed elements include the entire dash, all switches and dials, seat cushioning and pedal pads. Owners have the options of choosing colours to match iconic longtail racers of years gone by, or make use of GMSV’s creative design team to create something more personal.
Professor Gordon Murray, Group Executive Chairman: “Longtail racing cars perfectly combine aerodynamic benefit and aesthetic balance, I've always loved their mix of considered engineering and flowing design. Our Le Mans GTR timelessly reimagines the longtail racers I’ve admired since I began designing cars, adding contemporary aerodynamics and our exquisitely engineered chassis, engine, and transmission.”
A total of 24 GMSV Le Mans GTR supercars will be built, with one for every hour of the famous race. The first customer production cars are set to be finished in 2026, and all have been sold thanks to a collaborative effort with Joe Macari Performance Cars.
So, which one do you prefer?
words: Mike Booth
pictures: Gordon Murray Special Vehicles