Gordon Murray S1 revealed
Gordon Murray Special Vehicles has unveiled its latest supercar, and while the new S1 shares much of its DNA with the extraordinary S1 LM, it has a very different job to do. Revealed at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, the S1 is still an uncompromising, naturally aspirated V12 supercar with a manual gearbox, but this time the emphasis is on covering serious distances as much as attacking corners.
That makes it an intriguing addition to the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles line-up. Where the S1 LM was conceived as an extreme, road-legal celebration of Murray's 1995 Le Mans victory, the S1 takes the same basic philosophy and turns down the aggression. It is designed to be something you could actually spend hours driving, without sacrificing the analogue experience that has become central to Gordon Murray's most exclusive cars.
Behind the driver sits a bespoke 4.2-litre naturally aspirated Cosworth V12 producing up to 690PS and revving to an astonishing 12,100rpm. There is no turbocharger, hybrid assistance or automatic transmission to dilute the experience. Instead, the engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, complete with a taller touring sixth gear.
The engine itself is derived from the same lineage as the S1 LM's V12, but has been reworked with touring in mind. Gordon Murray says 80 per cent of the engine's torque is available from just 2,500rpm, while around 500Nm is available at 7,000rpm. That should make the S1 considerably easier to drive quickly on the road than the headline power and stratospheric redline might suggest.
Lightweight pistons feature silicon carbide coatings, while titanium valves and connecting rods help keep the engine's rotating mass down. A dry-sump lubrication system allows the V12 to cope with the demands of hard driving, while the exhaust system uses polished Inconel and is finished with a 24-carat gold-plated heat shield.
The gearbox has been engineered with new, straighter cable routing to give the driver the sort of precise, mechanical shift action the company believes is increasingly rare in modern performance cars. The intention is for every gear change to feel like an event rather than simply another input to an electronic system.
The S1 also gets a significant aerodynamic rethink. The huge fixed rear wing, extended front splitter and deep side skirts of the S1 LM have disappeared, leaving a much cleaner and more elegant shape. Every exterior body panel is unique to the S1, despite the obvious family resemblance between the two cars.
Instead of relying on huge amounts of fixed downforce, the S1 uses a new active rear aerodynamic system integrated into the bodywork. It can adjust its behaviour according to what the car is doing, helping provide stability under braking and at high speeds without compromising the cleaner design.
The S1 retains the S1 LM's width, track and lightweight suspension architecture, along with its wider tyres, but its ride height has been increased by 10mm. The damping has also been retuned to give the car greater compliance over imperfect roads, while Gordon Murray says steering precision, agility and feedback remain priorities.
Weight reduction remains fundamental. The S1 uses an ultra-lightweight carbon-fibre body and lightweight suspension components, and Gordon Murray says its target weight is below that of the T.50. That's particularly impressive given the S1's more luxurious interior, additional acoustic insulation, enhanced audio system and extra equipment.
The design also introduces a number of details that distinguish the S1 from its more extreme sibling. The front lighting is completely bespoke, with the daytime running lights integrated into the main light cluster rather than positioned in a separate blade. Low-mounted auxiliary main-beam lights sit within the front intake, inspired by a 1992 Monaco show car designed by Gordon Murray.
The A-pillar-mounted mirrors are another distinctive touch, incorporating a discreet rear-view camera system. New lightweight wheels are also inspired by that Monaco concept, giving the S1 a visual link to one of Murray's less familiar designs.
Then there are the doors. The S1 LM's race-inspired Lexan ticket window has been replaced by conventional-looking dihedral doors with integrated drop-down glass. They open wider, making getting into the low-slung supercar easier and reinforcing the car's more touring-oriented character.
Inside, the S1 remains unmistakably Gordon Murray. The driver sits centrally, with the low scuttle maintaining the sense that the car has been designed around the person behind the wheel rather than around a technology showcase.
But the cabin has been given a considerable upgrade in luxury. Premium leather, bespoke fabrics, tailored trim, touring-focused seats, improved acoustic insulation and a bespoke lightweight audio system all feature. Revised infotainment screens also bring a little more modern convenience to what is otherwise a deliberately analogue experience.
Even the steering can be tailored to suit the journey. Switchable power-steering settings allow the driver to choose more assistance for relaxed cruising or a more direct, unfiltered feel when the road becomes interesting.
Gordon Murray himself describes the car as something that could be driven comfortably from Los Angeles to Monterey, while still delivering the drama of the V12 and the satisfaction of changing gear yourself. It is a very different interpretation of the supercar to the increasingly common recipe of enormous power, active suspension and computer-controlled four-wheel drive.
Production will be limited to just 64 cars worldwide, with every example individually commissioned and specified by its owner. Gordon Murray has not revealed pricing, although with the company's previous limited-production cars commanding substantial sums, this will emphatically not be a supercar for bargain-hunters.
The S1 is a 690PS, 12,100rpm V12, six-speed manual supercar with active aero, a more compliant suspension and a cabin you could actually imagine spending an entire day inside.
And with only 64 being built, it is likely to remain an idea that very few people will ever experience first-hand.
Gordon Murray S1: key specifications
Production 64 cars worldwide
Engine 4.2-litre naturally aspirated Cosworth V12
Power Up to 690PS
Redline 12,100rpm
Torque Around 500Nm
Transmission Six-speed manual with touring sixth gear
Architecture Carbon-fibre monocoque derived from S1 LM
Aerodynamics Integrated active rear aero
Suspension Lightweight S1 LM-derived architecture, revised for road use
Ride height 10mm higher than S1 LM
Seating Central driving position, three-seat cabin
Price Undisclosed (not cheap!)