Gordon Murray’s $20M McLaren F1-Inspired Hypercar Goes to Auction at the Las Vegas Grand Prix

Gordon Murray shocked the Monterey Car Week crowd this year when his newly formed Special Vehicles division unveiled the S1 LM, a five-unit tribute to the 1995 Le Mans-winning McLaren F1 GTR. Disappointingly for those with exceptionally deep pockets, the press release that accompanied the reveal said that GMSV would build the client who commissioned it just five examples of the stunning hypercar, which suggested that only one individual would have the opportunity to own the S1, or Special One. But that’s not quite the case; GMSV, in collaboration with RM Sotheby’s, has announced that the “final available S1 LM,” chassis #1, will be auctioned off during the 2025 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, and the winning bidder will get to “sit beside Professor Gordon Murray to create their dream specification” of the exquisite hypercar. RM Sotheby’s estimates that this unique proposition will be valued at more than $20 million when the hammer falls. Worth it? Let’s recap what the S1 LM offers and then discuss.

GMSV S1 LM Has A Special Formula

The S1 LM is based on the GMA T.50, but with several unique modifications beyond the F1 GTR-inspired carbon fiber bodywork. The rear fan and oil cooling pack have been removed, allowing the fitment of a unique 4.3-liter V12 capable of revving to a stratospheric 12,100 rpm. Along the way, this naturally aspirated Cosworth-developed engine – which boasts lighter internals and a higher compression ratio – develops over 700 metric horsepower (690 bhp), breathing through a bespoke Inconel exhaust system wrapped in 18-karat gold-foiled heat shielding and exiting through four centrally mounted tips. Like the McLaren F1 that inspired it, a manual transmission controls the shifts, and the driver gets to share the experience with two others if they so desire, thanks to a central driving position with passenger seats flanking either side. Unique suspension tuning and a lower ride height further separate this from the T.50 upon which it is based, but are all these factors enough to justify the estimate?

$20 Million: Enough To Buy The Original Inspiration

When the five S1 LMs were announced, the value that these commissions were set at was not disclosed, but it was surely an order of magnitude higher than the GMA T.50’s approximate $3 million-$3.5 million price, though likely not quite as high as $20 million. So is the S1 LM worth such a high estimate? On the one hand, an original McLaren F1 GTR racecar’s value can range from $5 million to well over $20 million, particularly for street-legal converted variants with a real racing pedigree and records behind their name, so the same money could buy you a bona fide motorsport icon. On the other hand, a total of 28 F1 GTRs were produced, making the S1 LM more than five times rarer. Moreover, as the first of its kind from Gordon Murray Special Vehicles, the S1 LM has a provenance that is difficult to quantify, and as time passes, its place in history may grow in significance. Ultimately, it’s up to the free market to decide what it’s worth come the Las Vegas F1 weekend (November 21-23).