This auction just set a new record — meet the most expensive new car ever sold
A rare 2025 Gordon Murray S1 LM Prototype just set a record that stunned the automotive world.
Gordon Murray’s latest S1 LM has shattered records after becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction. The bespoke vehicle was sold for $20.63 million during the Formula One weekend in Las Vegas. All five existing S1 LMs were sold to one collector, who will directly collaborate with Murray to finalize specifications and work on developmental drives.
The cars at this stage are only prototypes, and the winning bidder will not only take ownership of a hypercar but will also collaborate directly with Dario Franchitti (three-time Indianapolis 500 winner) to further develop the vehicle. This will include aerodynamic testing, rear-wing tuning, suspension calibration, and interior finishes. The lucky buyer will also receive a 500-page monograph dedicated to S1 LM, with technical specifications and original sketches from Murray. While the number of examples of the S1 LM already highlights the car’s rarity, the experience of overseeing and collaborating on a process that is usually reserved for automotive engineers further epitomizes Murray’s legacy.
The name behind GMA
Gordon Murray is a British automotive designer and engineer whose most desired and popular creations include the legendary McLaren F1. Murray founded Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) in 2007, aiming to produce limited-run, high-performance cars that would reflect his lifelong achievements and engineering precision. Since then, Murray has consistently provided the world with desirable vehicles, continuing to do so until now, when his creation has broken unseen barriers.
The S1 LM by GMA is the first production under the Special Vehicles division, and has already shown a promising future. Its design not only directly celebrates the McLaren F1’s memorable victory at Le Mans thirty years ago, but also pays homage to Murray’s innovative mind.
For Gordon, the S1 LM also represents a deeply personal triumph, carrying a significance beyond engineering excellence. Gordon worked on its design while undergoing cancer treatment, later admitting that the project was instrumental in helping him endure such a difficult chapter in his life
A hypercar inspired by legacy
The S1 LM is a modern salute to the McLaren F1 and the F1 LM that commemorated the 1995 Le Mans Victory. While the McLaren F1 still stands as one of the most exclusive cars in the world, the S1 LM comes quite close, with just five models that will be built. A close comparison of the S1 LM by Gordon Murray reveals a structure similar to that of the McLaren F1, save for a few exterior changes. The S1 LM hypercar is a modernized version of the classic, maintaining a three-seat, central driver layout and analog driving purity. The contemporary body work offers an extremely lightweight design.
Technical highlights and engineering
The heart of the S1 LM is a Cosworth V12 engine with 4.3 litres that produces over 700 horsepower at 12,100 rpm. The engine sets a new benchmark as one of the lightest, highest-revving, most power-dense, and most responsive naturally aspirated V-12 engines ever fitted to a road car.
The vehicle has a six-speed manual gearbox connected to the rear wheels, with a lightweight chassis that weighs just 957 kilograms. The overall engineering approach is reflected in the advanced carbon-fiber construction, the exposed Naked Polish carbon-fiber panels, and the emphasis on keeping the car as light as possible.
The central driving position, just like in the original F1, will maximize the visibility, and the six-speed manual gearbox will bring back the raw nostalgia from the 90s.
The evolution of design
While the S1 LM draws inspiration from the legendary McLaren F1, Gordon Murray has transformed some aspects to drive originality. For example, the engines for both the McLaren F1 and the S1 LM are built on the T50, but the S1 LM’s chassis has been completely transformed. The S1 LM features a lower roofline and a now-removed spine, accentuating its aerodynamic design and sculpted fenders. The design kept much of the original F1’s design, incorporating a mix of new modern elements, such as the super-thin LED lights on the front.
Collector’s significance
The S1 LM has already shattered auction records on the 30th anniversary of the Le Mans victory, but there is more to draw inspiration from. The S1 LM is intended as a bridge between past and future hypercars, since its sale not only demonstrated Murray’s golden work, but also provides a unique and enriching experience to the buyer, adding layers to its intricacy. Ultimately, the S1 LM is an homage to Murray’s delightful and innovative mind and signifies his great triumph from a scary diagnosis.
It is clear from the auction that owning an S1 LM is not merely a transactional relationship. The S1 LM comes with a unique, aerodynamic design that is yet to come to life, but has already established dominance, even against its predecessor, the McLaren F1. The S1 LM hypercar represents the pinnacle of Gordon Murray’s decades-long philosophy, which prioritizes a driver-focused performance. A detailed look into the S1 LM clarifies why and how it has become the world’s most expensive new car ever sold at an auction.
