Staying close to the teaser revealed just days earlier, Gordon Murray has unveiled the S1, a new analog supercar combining a naturally aspirated V12 engine, a six-speed manual transmission and a three-seat layout.

Revealed at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, the S1 is positioned as a more road-friendly evolution of the extreme S1 LM that was shown one year earlier. Its formula is unmistakably inspired by the McLaren F1, with a central driving position, naturally aspirated V12, manual transmission and an intense focus on keeping weight low.

Getting to Know the Gordon Murray S1

The S1 and S1 LM look more different than their names might suggest. Both cars share the same carbon-fiber monocoque and fundamental proportions, but Gordon Murray Special Vehicles redesigned every exterior body panel for the S1.

The S1 eliminates the S1 LM’s large fixed rear wing, extended front splitter and deep side skirts. In their place are cleaner surfaces and an integrated active rear aerodynamic system. Gordon Murray says the goal was to emphasize mechanical grip, balance and long-distance usability rather than maximum downforce.

The engine is another variation of the naturally aspirated Cosworth V12 used across Murray’s modern supercar family. The 4.2-liter engine produces up to 690 PS, or approximately 681 horsepower, at 12,100 rpm.

The competition-grade engine features titanium connecting rods, titanium valves, lightweight silicon-carbide-coated pistons and dry-sump lubrication. Around 80% of the available torque arrives from 2,500 rpm, while the engine produces roughly 500 Nm, or 369 pound-feet, at 7,000 rpm.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission featuring a taller, touring-oriented sixth gear. The S1’s ride height is 10 millimeters higher than the S1 LM, while its dampers receive more compliant tuning.

Despite additional sound insulation, upgraded audio equipment and a more luxurious cabin, Gordon Murray is targeting a total weight below 997 kilograms, or about 2,198 pounds.

A Three-Seat Interior With a More Comfortable Focus

The three-seat cabin retains the central driving position while adding proper drop-down windows, more comfortable seats, premium leather and selectable power-steering assistance.

Production will be limited to 64 individually commissioned cars, although pricing has not been disclosed. That makes the S1 considerably less rare than the five-car S1 LM.

The S1 LM remains the more race-focused machine, producing slightly more power and featuring a considerably more aggressive aerodynamic package.

The McLaren F1 and BMW Connection

The S1’s connection to the McLaren F1 is difficult to miss. Its central seating position, compact cabin, naturally aspirated V12, manual gearbox and obsessive weight reduction all reflect principles Gordon Murray established while developing McLaren’s seminal road car.

Some of the smaller details also reference ideas that never reached production on the F1. The S1’s low-mounted auxiliary headlights and lightweight wheels were inspired by Murray’s 1992 Monaco show-car proposal.

The S1 LM’s aggressive bodywork and five-car production run, meanwhile, directly reference the F1 GTR’s Le Mans victory in 1995.

How BMW Helped Define the Original F1 Formula

For BMW enthusiasts, the most important connection sits behind the driver. Murray originally wanted a naturally aspirated engine that offered exceptional response while keeping weight to a minimum for the McLaren F1.

BMW M, led by engine legend Paul Rosche, responded with the S70/2. The 6.1-liter BMW V12 produced 627 PS, or approximately 618 horsepower, without turbocharging. It used individual throttle bodies, dry-sump lubrication, four valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts.

The F1’s engine compartment famously used gold foil to protect the carbon-fiber structure from exhaust heat. The new S1 echoes that detail with its own 24-carat-gold-plated heat shield.

Gordon Murray Refines the Formula Again

The S1 is hardly a surprise for anyone who saw Gordon Murray’s teaser earlier in the week. Its silhouette was unmistakable, and the final car follows the same core philosophy.

Cosworth supplies the S1’s engine rather than BMW, but the formula remains familiar. More than three decades after the McLaren F1, Murray is still refining the principles established with McLaren and BMW: low weight, three pedals, twelve cylinders and as little interference as possible between the driver and the car.