In what might be the most exclusive automotive deal in history, Gordon Murray, the legendary designer behind the McLaren F1, will create 29 bespoke analog supercars for just two wealthy collectors. Unveiled at the Monterey Car Week in California, the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) S1 LM and Le Mans GTR represent the finest in bespoke supercar design and engineering. Based on the GMA T.50, Murray’s love letter to the joy of driving, these two prototypes will eventually become part of a 29-car-strong production run. The catch is that they’ve all been sold already, for undisclosed sums of money.
Both the S1 LM and Le Mans GTR strip away modern supercar complexity in favor of pure, unfiltered driving nirvana. The naturally-aspirated Cosworth V12 has been bored out to 4.3 liters in the S1 LM. The track-focused Le Mans GTR instead focuses on downforce, with a fixed wing and massive rear diffuser, along with stiffer suspension to handle track day abuse. With a final weight under 2,200 pounds, both these carbon fiber masterpieces will deliver power-to-weight ratios that can embarrass modern hypercars.
These aren’t just modern interpretations of the McLaren F1, they’re what Murray always envisioned when weight, cost, and regulations didn’t constrain his genius. The central driving position returns, along with the analog controls and mechanical precision that made the F1 legendary, and so valuable in the collector’s market.
The exclusivity factor is staggering. Joe Macari, the London supercar dealer has snapped up the entire 24-car production run for the Le Mans GTR, and still found buyers for each one. The identity of the other millionaire customer of the S1 LM remains tantalizingly secret, though we do know that he is one of Gordon Murray’s earliest customers of the T.50. What is certain is that they’ve secured automotive immortality, owning the complete output of what many consider the greatest analog supercar project ever conceived.
In an era where supercars increasingly rely on hybrid systems and electronic assistance, Murray’s creations stand as reminders that the best driving experiences come from pure mechanical engineering. These 29 examples represent the absolute pinnacle of the restomod movement, wherein they’re not updating existing cars, but perfecting an already perfect concept.
For the rest of us, they remain beautiful impossibilities, and Gordon Murray’s final word on analog perfection, destined for private collections and track days.
