Gordon Murray reveals the S1, a highly exclusive V12 manual supercar, and only 64 will exist

Highlights

• Global debut: new S1 supercar from Gordon Murray Special Vehicles revealed at The Quail during Monterey Car Week
• The latest model from Gordon Murray Special Vehicles is developed from the S1 LM platform, with a more touring-focused character
• A real manual gearbox and a bespoke 4.2-litre naturally aspirated Cosworth V12 produces up to 690 PS, with a substantial increase in accessible torque for effortless touring performance
• All-new active aero, revised suspension, enhanced refinement, and an exquisitely crafted luxurious cabin
• Although S1 shares the same design language and DNA as the S1 LM, every body panel has been redesigned and is unique

Monterey, California – 14 August 2026 – Gordon Murray Special Vehicles has revealed the new ‘S1’ supercar at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, a touring-focused evolution of the S1 LM that exudes timeless confidence and celebrates a unique approach to Driving Perfection.

The naturally aspirated, V12-powered, manual supercar is an evolution of the S1 LM platform, which is optimised for mechanical grip, rather than high downforce, to offer a distinctive driving experience. The revised suspension adds comfort and refinement for long distance journeys, while retaining Gordon Murray’s signature Driving Perfection philosophy. The S1 commission is the latest model from Gordon Murray Special Vehicles, where all seven design principles are pushed to their most extreme expression.

While the S1 shares its family DNA with the S1 LM (the Special One), its character and purpose are distinctly different. The S1 LM was conceived as the most intense, road-legal, race-inspired celebration of Gordon Murray’s 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours victory. The S1 evolves the elegant design language of the S1 LM, while reframing the set-up for fast, engaging, long-distance road driving.

The S1 removes the S1 LM’s large, fixed rear wing, long front splitter, and deep side skirts; every exterior body panel is new. The result is a cleaner silhouette inspired by classic proportions.

A new active rear aero system is integrated into the bodywork, adapting to the demands of high-speed stability and braking. The focus moves away from extreme downforce and towards mechanical grip, balance, and confidence on the road.

At the heart of the S1 is a bespoke 4.2-litre naturally aspirated Cosworth V12 producing up to 690 PS at a shrieking 12,100 rpm. Derived from the same lineage as the S1 LM engine, the 4.2-litre unit has been developed to deliver exceptional response, while retaining the sound, immediacy, and character expected from a Gordon Murray engine. The low-inertia, high-revving engine features a suite of competition-spec components such as silicon carbide-coated lightweight pistons, titanium valves, titanium connecting rods, and a dry-sump lubrication system. With effortless touring in mind the S1 features a broader torque range, delivering 80% of torque from just 2,500 rpm and around 500 Nm at 7,000 rpm.

The engine is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, featuring a touring sixth gear as standard. New straighter gearbox cable routing helps deliver the precise, rifle-bolt shift feel that remains central to the car’s physical connection between driver and machine.

The S1 retains the S1 LM’s width, track, lightweight suspension architecture, and wider tyres, but ride height is increased by 10 mm and the damping is retuned for greater compliance while preserving steering precision, agility, and feedback.

Lightweight engineering remains fundamental. Ultra-lightweight carbon fibre body panels, lightweight suspension components, and Gordon Murray’s obsession with weight reduction contribute to an overall target weight below that of the T.50, despite the S1’s more luxurious cabin trim, enhanced sound system, and additional acoustic refinement.

The S1 features bespoke front and rear lighting, with daytime running lamps integrated into the light cluster, differentiating the headlight signature from the S1 LM, where the running lights sit in a narrow blade below the headlight. Unique main beam auxiliary lights sit low within the air intake at the nose of the car – a nod to the 1992 Monaco show car design by Murray, which featured similar lower lights, an element that never saw production.

Further unique features include distinctive A-pillar-mounted mirrors that integrate a discrete rear-view camera system, and all-new lightweight wheels, inspired by the iconic Monaco 1992 show car. The engine bay presents the V12 as a centrepiece, with the polished Inconel exhaust and 24-carat gold-plated heat shield.

Inside, the S1 retains the central driving position and low scuttle height that define Gordon Murray’s driver focus, while introducing a more refined and luxurious interpretation of the S1 LM cockpit. Premium leather, bespoke fabrics, tailored trim, touring-level seat comfort, enhanced acoustic insulation, revised infotainment screens, and a bespoke lightweight audio system make the three-seat cabin more suited to long-distance use.

The driver can tailor the car’s feel through switchable, selectable power steering, choosing assistance for relaxed cruising or a more unfiltered connection on dynamic roads.

The new dihedral doors with integrated drop-down glass replace the Lexan race-inspired ticket window from the S1 LM. These doors allow a wider opening to allow greater ingress and egress, further underlining the S1’s shift towards everyday usability.

Production of the S1 will be exclusively limited to 64 units worldwide. Each car will be individually commissioned and specified by its owner, pricing remains undisclosed.

Since unveiling the T.50 supercar in 2020, Gordon Murray has established a family of ultra-exclusive, lightweight, driver-focused supercars that celebrate naturally aspirated engines, mated to manual transmissions, and uncompromising attention to the relationship between driver and machine, on road and track. Now, the S1 carries that philosophy into a more refined, usable, touring-focused form.

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About Gordon Murray

Gordon Murray is a UK-based global luxury brand dedicated to creating and manufacturing the world’s greatest driving cars. These ultra-exclusive supercars – the T.50, T.50s Niki Lauda, T.33, T.33 Spider, S1 LM, and Le Mans GTR – are engineered and designed without compromise to provide unrivalled driving experiences and driver-centric connection. GordonMurray.com

Gordon Murray adheres to seven core brand principles in all its products:

• Driving Perfection
• Lightweight
• Engineering Art
• Premium Brand
• A Return to Beauty
• Exclusivity
• The Customer Journey

Professor Gordon Murray, CBE – Executive Chairman, Gordon Murray Group

Gordon Murray spent 20 years as Technical Director at two Formula One teams (1969–1990), applying deep technical, design, and engineering expertise. At Brabham he was instrumental in two world championship wins in 1981 and 1983, followed by three consecutive championship titles with McLaren Racing in 1988, 1989, and 1990. After 50 Grand Prix wins, he left Formula One in 1990 to establish McLaren Cars Limited.

His first project, the F1 road car, became one of the world’s most respected engineering achievements. Its racing version won two world sports car championships and the 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours. McLaren Cars went on to deliver several major programmes, culminating in the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

Gordon left McLaren in 2005 and founded Gordon Murray Design in 2007. The innovative British company quickly became a world leader in automotive design with full in-house capability for design, prototyping, and development.

In 2017, a special ‘One Formula’ event marked the company’s 10-year anniversary and celebrated 25 years of the iconic F1. In May 2019, he was appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his contributions to motorsport and the automotive industry.

After founding Gordon Murray, he announced the T.50 supercar in 2019, revealed it globally in 2020, then led development of the T.50s Niki Lauda track car (revealed 2021), the T.33 (unveiled 2022), and the T.33 Spider (first shown 2023). 2025 marked his 60th anniversary of race and road-car design and the launch of the S1 LM and the Le Mans GTR.