The collector-car world just got rocked—hard. A Gordon Murray S1 LM shattered all expectations, raking in a jaw-dropping $20.6 million over that glitzy Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend. Bam. Just like that, it’s now the priciest new car ever auctioned outside of those fancy charity gigs. Not bad for a machine cooked up by a guy who’s been bending metal into magic since the ’60s, from F1 titans like Brabham and McLaren to road legends that make gearheads weak in the knees.
Murray’s no stranger to building winners. Cut his teeth at Brabham, helped snag titles, then jumped to McLaren where his brainchildren dominated. But let’s be real: the crown jewel? The McLaren F1. Even now, decades later, it’s still the holy grail of supercars. These days, he’s doing his own thing under the Gordon Murray banner, sticking to raw, unfiltered driving thrills—no digital babysitters, just pure mechanical soul.
The real star here? The S1 LM, Chassis #1. One of five, all snapped up by some deep-pocketed enthusiast with seriously good taste. It’s a love letter to the 1995 Le Mans-winning McLaren F1 GTR, but built on Murray’s T.50 platform. Think of it as a race-bred beast dolled up for the road, with every tweak screaming “win on Sunday, sell for millions on Monday.”
Under the hood? A Cosworth-built 4.3-liter V12 that howls to 12,000 rpm, churning out 690 horses. Lighter, meaner, and angrier than your average engine. Oh, and the exhaust? Inconel wrapped in 18-karat gold, because why not? Three seats, driver plonked dead center, six-speed manual—no flappy paddles here, pal. This thing’s got more old-school cool than a leather jacket at a vinyl shop.
Showtime at the auction was pure theater. Chopper drops in, jaws hit the floor. The winning bid wasn’t just for the car; it was a golden ticket. Sit down with Murray himself to spec your dream. Rip development laps with IndyCar ace Dario Franchitti. Peek behind the curtain with the engineers. And, cherry on top: a 500-page tome chronicling the S1 LM’s birth, from scribbles on a napkin to wheels on the tarmac.
This sale? Proof that Murray’s still got it. His latest creation isn’t just joining the collector-car elite; it’s rewriting the rulebook. For those who crave machines with pulse, passion, and zero compromises, the S1 LM is now the stuff of legend—no asterisks, no apologies.
Shawn Henry