Gordon Murray Pays Homage to the McLaren F1 with Two One-Off Specials

Gordon Murray has built two McLaren F1-inspired one-offs for Monterey this year, namely the S1 LM & Le Mans GTR.

Not often do we see car designers revisiting some of their greatest creations and modernising them for the new-age crowd, and that is exactly what Gordon Murray did for this year’s Monterey Car Week. Say hello to the S1 LM and the Le Mans GTR—two modern-day V12 one-offs inspired by the legendary McLaren F1.

Unlike Murray’s recent creations such as the T50 or the T33, this V12-powered duo is created under an entirely new portfolio named Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV), which specialises in creating bespoke and one-off models for the discerning enthusiasts out there.

Gordon Murray's GMSV S1 LM

We’ll start with the GMSV S1 LM, as this special model is essentially a modern-day tribute to the McLaren F1, which is often touted as Murray’s greatest creation yet. At one glance, we can clearly see some resemblance to the original F1, namely its overall silhouette and both the front and rear bumper design, as well as the air ducts and intakes on the side.

The most notable difference for the S1 LM lies at the front, where it gets a new pair of slim LED headlights. While the rounded taillights are direct references to the F1, they are now made of LEDs and feature horizontal slats to match the rear engine duct grille. Not to forget, both the front hood vent and roof scoop are also derived from the original F1, albeit featuring a sleeker and more modern design.

And just like the original F1, the S1 LM also retains the same three-seater layout, in what GMSV described as a “skeletal architecture.” The cabin is said to be “race-inspired yet designed with a precision that belies its track focus,” featuring things like a single bucket seat for the driver, a semi-digital instrument panel with an analogue central dial, lots of carbon fibre bits, and many more.

Beneath the hood, the S1 LM ditches the F1’s BMW S70/2 6.1-litre V12 lump for a 4.3-litre nat-asp V12 unit from Cosworth—essentially a bored-out version of the engine used on the GMA T50. Its output is said to be around 690 hp and redlines at up to 12,100 rpm, while being mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Gordon Murray's GMSV Le Mans GTR

Moving on to the Le Mans GTR, this one-off special does use the McLaren F1 GTR Longtail as its main inspiration, while also drawing some from other famous Le Mans racers, including the Porsche 917 and Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3, to name a few.

For example, the Le Mans GTR looks quite similar to the GMA T50 from up front, while its headlight design looks somewhat similar to the 917, albeit featuring a modern LED setup. Meanwhile, its whole rear-end design also resembles the T50, albeit missing the central intake fan, and features a long-tail design that is obviously inspired by the F1 GTR.

Some other track-specific bits primed here include the larger air vents, big side pods, a large GT-style rear spoiler, and many more.

Despite its Le Mans homage, the Le Mans GTR gets a more ‘civilian’ cabin setup, although it still features the same three-seater layout as both the F1 and the S1 LM. Compared to its twin, the Le Mans GTR gets three-point seat belts instead of a racing harness, a more ‘finished’ cabin with Alcantara and leather trims that are fully customisable, the same semi-digital metre cluster as the S1 LM, and many more.

Unlike the S1 LM, the Le Mans GTR gets the same 4.0-litre V12 Cosworth engine as the T50, which is also mated to a six-speed manual. To make the V12 sing better than it already does, GMSV has re-engineered the whole exhaust system to “deliver a deep and balanced V12 soundtrack,” while the new roof-mounted air intake “adds to the orchestral cabin experience as owners explore the full 12,100 rpm rev range.”

Unfortunately, only five examples of the S1 LM will be made by GMSV, and no surprise, all of them are already spoken for by one special client. That said, you might have better luck with the Le Mans GTR, as their production is capped higher at 24 units, although all of them have already been sold too.