Ask most car enthusiasts what the greatest supercar of the 20th century is, and you’ll get a large contingent answering with “the McLaren F1.” From still holding the record as the fastest naturally aspirated production car in the world to the iconic three-seat cockpit, it’s widely considered the greatest of all time for good reason. However, what happens when you want the style of an F1 with thirty-some-odd years of progress under the skin? Enter the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles S1 LM.
Yes, while this might look like a unique variant of the McLaren F1, it’s actually a brand new car from the man who headed up the original project. Only five examples of the S1 LM are going to be made, each one taking the learnings from the latest Gordon Murray Automotive cars and applying them to a classic silhouette. Weirdly, they’re all going to the same person, but that client certainly knows how to spend money well.
Under the rear coachwork sits a 4.3-liter V12 making more than 690 horsepower, eclipsing the output of even the GTR-spec F1. Drive to the back is provided by a six-speed manual transaxle that blends the gearset from the GMA T.50 with the casing of the track-focused T.50s. Perfect for those 12,100-rpm redline shifts.
As for the suspension, it’s all-new, with different geometry from any existing GMA car, along with special tuning to play nicely with the S1 LM’s new overall package while remaining usable on the road. Of course, the S1 LM gets gold heat shielding like the F1, along with the three-seat layout from the T.50, but we need to talk about the coachwork.
There’s no mistaking the way that the S1 LM aesthetically channels the F1, but in a sort-of greatest hits way. There’s a bit of LM-spec influence, a bit of GTR-spec influence, paying tribute to an icon while bringing it up to date. Look closely and you’ll find that the front fascia has been massaged, smoothed, simplified. No more separate bumper-mounted marker lights, just slim, modern fixtures. The grillework is a more refined, sharper take on the intakes seen on the HDK-spec F1, and the whole cut of the valence is just crisper than on the original.
Around the side, the signature singular strake has been removed for this tribute, but that’s not the only big alteration. The roofline is actually different than you get on any GMA car, the panels aft of the front arches have been cut back for aerodynamic efficiency, and intakes sit where you’d expect quarter windows to be.
Out back, not only does the S1 LM sport four centrally mounted exhaust tips connected to an Inconel system, it also features completely modernized lighting sitting underneath grille slats, a huge fixed wing, a massive diffuser, and simplified rear bumper venting. It’s just a cleaner, more modern look while maintaining the spirit of the F1.
While it can be fairly argued that the look of the S1 LM is derivative, you’d have to be a sad and soulless human being to hate this because it goes about the concept the right way, Each example of the McLaren F1 is inherently hugely valuable, so the best way to effectively restomod an F1 is to effectively just make a new one. That’s what we have here, loads of classic styling cues draped over the current state-of-the-art.
Top graphic image: Gordon Murray Special Vehicles
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First: Regamasters are just a classic wheel design.
Second: I’m still trying to think when the Super/hyper car started being not so super for me.
It definitely wasn’t when the first McLaren F1 came out, or the F50. Or like when a Mercedes Benz CLK GTR driven on the street. I don’t think the Veyron killed it either.
And its not like I feel that the Flappy-Paddle-Gearbox killed the love either.
I mean thinking about it, I would probably be more excited to see an LFA vs any modern Ferrari/Lamborghini/porsche outside of a “Dakar-style” one.
I would normally skip over the supercar segments in TG/TGT and pray the challenge involved normal(ish) cars.
Nah, I prefer the standard T.50. Trying to graft retro design features onto a modern package never really works out, especially when hardpoints can’t be changed and certain graphics can’t be replicated as a result. For example, notice how the F1’s side duct is just floating aimlessly inside the T.50’s door shape, which also zigzags awkwardly against the lower intake.
I do however think there should be a T.50 without the rear fan. It never seemed to be integrated well and I’m not clear as to why it needed to be on a road car.
make 5 sure, but why the heck are all 5 going to the same dude who’s not going to drive any of them?
McLaren F1n? New F1? T.90? 😛
Who bought them?
Wait, does this thing have pop-up headlights? The cut lines and the clearance for the DRLs seem to suggest that.
Does that make this the only car currently sold with pop-ups?
Gee cool car. Also, why does anyone have that much money? Dumb.
“Weirdly, they’re all going to the same person…”
Russian oligarch or oil baron?
Just finished watching Harry Metcalfe’s video on it with Dario Franchitti. The goat of all supercars just got a heckuva lot better!
“Only five examples of the S1 LM are going to be made”
Suck it. Gordo.
So… copyright?
Surely it is McLaren and not Murray who owns the IP?
This thing is perfect. It looks like a restomod without having to ruin an original F1.
I never liked the look of the T.50 and now this re-skin completely fixes that. What a beauty.