The automotive industry is increasingly moving away from V12 engines and manual transmissions, but a small group of automakers continues to preserve the traditional formula. Gordon Murray Automotive is among them, and its latest creation, the S1, combines both elements with a focus on making an extreme supercar more suitable for road use.
Unveiled at The Quail during this year’s Monterey Car Week, the S1 is an evolution of the S1 LM, an extremely track-focused but road-legal car inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR that won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Rather than pushing performance even further, however, the S1 takes a different approach. It reduces some of the S1 LM’s aggression in favor of greater comfort and refinement, making it better suited to touring than outright lap times.
Built for Corners With Potholes
The S1 remains a serious performance car, particularly because it is based on the S1 LM-derived platform. However, Gordon Murray Automotive has adjusted components such as the suspension to prioritize comfort.
The car also places greater emphasis on mechanical grip rather than extreme aerodynamic downforce, resulting in handling intended to be more predictable on public roads.
That approach means the S1 does without the S1 LM’s massive rear wing, long front splitter and deep side skirts. Gordon Murray says every exterior body panel is new, while the ride height has been increased by 10 mm, or 0.39 inches, and the damping has been retuned for greater compliance.
The changes are designed to help the S1 clear road obstacles and absorb bumps that would not typically be encountered on smooth racetracks.
The car also features main-beam auxiliary lights positioned low within the front air intake and all-new lightweight wheels. Both elements were inspired by Gordon Murray’s 1992 Monaco show car design.
A More Refined Three-Seat Cabin
Inside, the S1 retains a three-seat layout while adding several refinements aimed at long-distance driving. The cabin features premium leather, touring-level seat comfort, revised infotainment screens and a bespoke lightweight audio system.
The result is an interior that maintains the S1’s performance-focused character while making the car better suited to road use than the more aggressive S1 LM.
A Naturally Aspirated V12 and Six-Speed Manual
Power comes from a bespoke 4.2-liter Cosworth V12 derived from the same engine lineage as the S1 LM’s 4.3-liter unit. It produces up to 690 PS, or 681 horsepower, which is 30 PS, or 29.6 horsepower, less than its track-focused sibling.
The naturally aspirated engine revs to 12,100 rpm and is paired with a six-speed manual transmission featuring a touring-oriented sixth gear as standard.
The combination of a V12 engine and manual gearbox can also be found elsewhere in Gordon Murray Automotive’s lineup, including the T.33 and flagship T.50.
A Supercar Built for the Street
Gordon Murray Automotive has not disclosed pricing for the S1, but production will be limited to just 64 examples worldwide.
The S1 joins a small group of vehicles that combine a V12 engine with a manual gearbox. That group includes the Aston Martin Valiant, Aston Martin Valour and Pagani Utopia.
Ferrari also has an entry with the 12Cilindri Manuale, although its manual-by-wire system electronically operates an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
With its naturally aspirated V12, six-speed manual gearbox and road-focused chassis tuning, the S1 represents Gordon Murray Automotive’s effort to preserve a formula that is becoming increasingly rare while making it more usable beyond the racetrack.
