Car designer Gordon Murray has revealed his latest supercar, the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles S1, bringing back the spirit of the iconic McLaren F1 he designed 35 years ago.
Unveiled at The Quail during Monterey Car Week in California, the new S1 features a bespoke 4.2-litre naturally aspirated Cosworth V12 engine producing up to 681bhp, paired with a manual gearbox in a rare move for modern high-performance vehicles.
Building on the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) S1 LM platform, the S1 is designed as a 'touring-focused evolution' that differs in both 'character and purpose' from its race-inspired predecessor.
Only 64 S1 supercars will be produced worldwide, making it one of the most exclusive road cars on sale today, though buyers will be unable to order one as the entire production run has already sold out.
Evolution of the S1 Platform
The new supercar draws direct inspiration from the McLaren F1 road car, Murray's most famous automotive creation, which is widely considered one of the greatest performance cars of all time. Between 1992 and 1998, McLaren produced just 106 examples of the original F1.
The S1 arrives exactly one year after Professor Murray unveiled the S1 LM, a modern, road-legal interpretation of the 1995 McLaren F1 LM created to honor the GTR race car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995.
While the race-inspired S1 LM featured a 627bhp rear-mounted V12 engine capable of reaching 243mph in a limited run of five units, the new S1 delivers a substantial increase in accessible torque engineered specifically for effortless touring performance.
GMSV stated that although the S1 shares the core design language and DNA of the S1 LM, every body panel has been completely redesigned and is unique to the new vehicle.
Chassis and Aerodynamics
To achieve a cleaner silhouette inspired by classic proportions, designers removed the large fixed rear wing, long front splitter, and deep side skirts found on the S1 LM. GMSV instead integrated a new active rear aerodynamics system directly into the bodywork to improve mechanical grip, road balance, and driver confidence.
The vehicle retains the wide, lightweight suspension architecture and broad tyres of the S1 LM, but incorporates a 10mm increase in ride height for improved road usability. In keeping with Murray's focus on weight reduction, the S1 features an ultra-lightweight carbon fibre body and lightweight suspension components throughout.
The power steering system can be tailored to suit individual driver preferences, offering settings for relaxed cruising or a more unfiltered steering connection.
Exterior lighting includes daytime running lamps integrated into the main front light clusters and auxiliary main-beam lights housed inside the nose air intake. These lower intake lights reference Murray's 1992 Monaco show car design, which featured lower lights that never reached commercial production.
Rearward visibility is provided by side mirrors mounted on the A-pillars that integrate a digital rear-view camera system.
Interior and Cockpit Features
The engine bay is designed to highlight the naturally aspirated V12 engine as its central focal point, accompanied by a polished Inconel exhaust system and a 24-carat gold-plated heat shield for thermal protection.
Inside, the three-seat interior layout is built around Murray's signature central driving position, placing the driver in the middle of the cabin flanked by two passenger seats.
Compared to the track-oriented S1 LM, the S1 provides a more refined and luxurious cockpit with touring-level seat comfort. Buyers can customize their cars with premium leather, bespoke fabrics, tailored interior trims, enhanced acoustic isolation, updated infotainment screens, and a custom audio system.
Production and Pricing
GMSV emphasized that the S1 carries Murray's ultra-exclusive, lightweight, driver-focused philosophy into a more refined and usable format. Each of the 64 vehicles will be individually commissioned and specified by its owner.
Official pricing for the S1 remains undisclosed by GMSV, but the model is expected to cost less than the S1 LM because more units are being manufactured. The first S1 LM sold for more than $20 million at auction in 2025.
In a related development within British sports car manufacturing, McLaren recently introduced the McL 6GT, marking the brand's first manual supercar since the original McLaren F1 and signaling its future vehicle direction.
