Gordon Murray’s S1 LM supercar has set a new car auction record, omitting charity sales, with an eye-watering winning bid of A$31.6 million.
Prior to the auction conducted by RM Sotheby’s, the S1 LM bearing chassis #1 of a limited run of five cars, was airlifted to the Wynn Las Vegas hotel auction venue.
Competitive collectors at the gala dinner at the Wynn and online bidders from around the world drove the price up until bidding concluded at $20.63 million (US).
The winning bidder hasn’t just won a car though; they will sit beside Professor Gordon Murray to create their dream specification and be involved in its development to create a bespoke vehicle.
Additionally, the owner receives development drive experience with four-time IndyCar champion and three-time Indy 500 winner, Dario Franchitti, executive product and brand director at Gordon Murray Group, to provide feedback on vehicle performance along with access to the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles team and a contributing role in the vehicle’s final development program.
Completing the package, the highest bidder’s car will be accompanied by an extremely detailed 500-page build book discussing the model’s creation. The book will feature original design sketches and notes pulled directly from Gordon Murray’s design notebook.
Created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the McLaren F1 GTR’s legendary 1995 Le Mans victory, the S1 LM is the first and most significant supercar from Gordon Murray’s Special Vehicles Division, designed by the original architect and creator of the McLaren F1 LM
Powering the S1 LM is a purpose-built and exclusive 4.3-litre engine developed with Cosworth, producing over 700 horsepower at 12,100 rpm setting a benchmark as one of the lightest, highest-revving, most responsive, and most power-dense naturally aspirated V-12s in a production road car.
With a target featherweight of only 957kg and paired with a bespoke six-speed manual gearbox, and placing the driver in a central driving position with perfect visibility, the S1 LM represents the ultimate expression of a peak analog driving experience
Professor Gordon Murray CBE said: “This world-record auction result is a defining moment for our entire team and for the automotive world. The S1 LM represents everything I have learned in six decades of design – a pure expression of driving perfection, engineering art, and a true return to beauty. To see it achieve this scale of appreciation is truly
humbling.”