Gordon Murray Unveils the S1 at The Quail 2026

• Gordon Murray Automotive was founded in 2017 by the designer of the McLaren F1.

• The S1 is a close derivative of the S1 LM unveiled last year, but more focused on grand touring.

• Only 64 units of the S1 will be made, and all have already been sold.

A year after its creation, the special vehicles’ division of Gordon Murray Automotive is unveiling its third supercar at the 2026 edition of The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering.

Called simply the S1, this supercar is closely derived from the S1 LM that was unveiled during the same event last year.

While at first glance the S1 looks like an S1 LM with most of the active aerodynamic features removed, the roof is the only body panel that wasn’t modified in some way between the two supercars.

Indeed, the S1, of which only 64 units will be made, is an almost completely new model despite its visual similarities with the S1 LM.

Removing the rear wing, the side skirts and the front splitter has given the car a much cleaner look, which is better suited to its character, which is geared toward grand touring, while the S1 LM was made with track performance in mind.

A side effect of cleaning up the look of the S1 is highlighting its striking resemblance to the McLaren F1 of the 1990s, making it clear that both cars were designed by the same man.

Indeed, Gordon Murray Automotive, as its name implies, was founded by Gordon Murray, who designed Formula 1 race cars for Brabham and McLaren before trying his hand at a road-going car with the F1.

Like the iconic McLaren, the Gordon Murray Automotive S1 features a three-seater cockpit, with the driver positioned in the middle of the car.

Also like the F1, the S1 is equipped with four round taillamps, diagonal side air intakes, and five-spoke alloy wheels.

Compared to the S1 LM, the S1 features a 10 mm higher ride height, a more compliant suspension, and a more thickly padded seat in order to provide a higher level of comfort that makes it easier to use on the street. The S1 also comes with dihedral doors and roll-down glass windows instead of Lexan.

The powertrain hasn’t changed much, however, as the S1 is powered by the same 4.2L Cosworth V12 engine as the S1 LM. While the power output remains at 681 horsepower, the S1 makes more torque, with a peak of 369 lb-ft at 7,000 rpm. Importantly for use on public roads, the tuning of the engine has been revised to make 80% of this torque available from 2,500 rpm.

Like the S1 LM, the S1 comes only with a six-speed manual transmission that sends power to the rear wheels.

The Gordon Murray Automotive S1 will be showcased over the weekend at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, in Carmel, California.

While 64 units is a large production figure for Gordon Murray Special Vehicles, all of them have already been sold, since customer demand was the only reason why so many of the S1 will be made in the first place.

Source: Car and Driver