GMSV has released the first shadowy look at a new Gordon Murray supercar ahead of Monterey Car Week, offering only a few clues about what is coming. The teaser appears to show a low, wide machine with a prominent roof-mounted intake, NACA-style ducts and an unusually flat rear deck, details that recall elements associated with Gordon Murray’s most famous road-car design.
A New Interpretation of the McLaren F1?
Until Gordon Murray officially unveils the car, its specifications and design direction remain unknown. However, the teaser suggests a machine that could follow several principles associated with Murray’s previous cars, including low weight, a naturally aspirated engine, minimal intervention between driver and machine, and styling influenced at least partly by aerodynamic requirements.
Those characteristics also align with GMA’s stated approach to its cars. It remains unclear whether the new machine will become another direct tribute to the McLaren F1, like the S1 LM, or take a more distinct direction.
Either way, Murray has increasingly revisited the formula established with the McLaren F1. The full reveal is scheduled for the height of Monterey Car Week in California later this week.
Gordon Murray’s McLaren F1 Connection
Murray was a driving force behind the original McLaren F1. When the project needed an engine capable of matching the car, he turned to BMW Motorsport, resulting in the naturally aspirated S70/2 V12 developed under BMW engineer Paul Rosche.
BMW has described the engine as a roughly 6.0-liter V12 producing more than 630 horsepower, while the production-car figure is generally quoted at 618 hp.
The relationship between BMW and the McLaren F1 extended into racing. A BMW V12-powered McLaren F1 GTR won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright in 1995, while other F1 GTRs finished third, fourth and fifth.
From the T.50 to the S1 LM
Murray returned to many of the principles behind the McLaren F1 with the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 in 2019. The T.50 is not a McLaren F1 remake, but its connection to the earlier car is evident.
The T.50 places the driver in the center, with two passenger seats positioned slightly behind. It also uses a six-speed manual gearbox and combines an extremely lightweight chassis with a naturally aspirated V12.
The S1 LM followed as an even more direct expression of the F1’s influence. Built by Gordon Murray Special Vehicles using the T.50 as its starting point, the extremely limited-production model features a lowered profile, central seating position, roof scoop and aggressive aerodynamic design.
Its 4.3-liter high-revving V12 and overall styling deliberately evoke the McLaren F1 GTR, particularly the car’s famous 1995 Le Mans story. Only five S1 LMs were produced, and one sold at auction for $20.63 million last year.
Gordon Murray Supercar Reveal Set for August 14
Even without specifications, the latest teaser continues a theme that has defined Murray’s recent work: revisiting and refining many of the ideas that made the original McLaren F1 distinctive.
For BMW enthusiasts, that connection remains particularly significant. While the latest Gordon Murray supercars may carry Cosworth badges on their V12 engines, the car that established the template used a BMW M Power engine.
More details about the latest GMSV project will be revealed on August 14 at The Quail. The full unveiling is expected this week, four days from the point described in the original announcement.
