The one-of-five Gordon Murray Automotive Special Vehicles (GMSV) S1 LM has been auctioned for a whopping $20.6m (R357.1m) in Las Vegas establishing a new record for the most expensive brand new car, though far more affordable than the priciest car ever sold on auction, which is one of two 1955 300 SLR Uhlenhaut selling for a record $142m (R2.3bn.)
The modern interpretation and 30th anniversary gift to the legend of the McLaren GTR winning the 1995 Le Mans race made a grand entrance at the Wynn Las Vegas, flown in by helicopter against the backdrop of the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix, the setting for a frenzy of global bids.
South African-born Gordon Murray, who was recently honoured at the 2025 Goodwood Festival, was in attendance when the hammer fell on the record-breaking sale of the “Special One”, hence “S1″ in its name.
Powered by a 4.3l naturally aspirated V12 engine paired with a bespoke six-speed manual gearbox, the S1 LM is a machine built with Murray’s ethos of pure and raw performance with an emotional connection between driver and machine, a lifelong pursuit of the 79-year-old honorary professor.
The father of the McLaren F1 has had an illustrious career since emigrating from South Africa to the UK in 1967, where he worked with industry greats and numerous brands. His ingenuity and crowning moments include creating the first fan car with innovative ground effects for Brabham the 106 unit and the 386km/h McLaren F1, fastest road car in world in 1998.
He founded Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) in 2017, finally able to put his name on a bonnet crest and in 2025 the operations were expanded to include the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) division that specialises in reviving Murray’s heritage cars or reimagines them in modern specification, and ultra low volume and bespoke cars such as the five-car S1 LM range.
