Gordon Murray Special Vehicles aims to revive spirit of McLaren F1 with two new models
Pair of supercars ‘celebrate long-tail endurance racers’
Gordon Murray Special Vehicles has released a pair of supercars that celebrate iconic ‘longtail’ racers of yesteryear.
The release also marks the inaugural cars built by the Special Vehicles department of Gordon Murray Automotive, which will celebrate the designer’s heritage which delivering cars with a ‘driver-centric visionary design’. These will come through limited-edition, one-off commissions.
The first car, called GMSV S1 LM, pays tribute to the McLaren F1 GTR which won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. With a variety of downforce-creating aerodynamic elements, the S1 LM has been designed to offer maximum stability at high speeds, while carbon fibre body panels aim to keep weight down. At its heart is a 4.3-litre V12 engine with 690bhp and an 18 karat-gold heat shield lining – just like the original McLaren F1. It’s linked to a manual gearbox, similar to the one found in GMA’s road-focused T.50.
Just five examples of the S1 LM will be created and they’re matched with an ‘undisclosed price’, according to GMA.
Then, there’s the GMSV ‘Le Mans GTR’, which draws its look and feel from ‘longtail’ racers from the 1970s, 80s and 90s. GMSV quotes cars such as the Matra-Simca MS660, Porsche 917 and Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 as key cars which the GTR takes its inspiration from.
There’s a full-width rear wing for maximum downforce, while underneath sits a double exhaust linked to the same V12 engine as found in the rest of Gordon Murray’s range. While track-focused, the Le Mans GTR gets logically-placed switches and dials, as well as seat cushioning – as opposed to non-cushioned bucket seats.
Just 24 Le Mans GTR supercars will be made – one for each hour of the Le Mans endurance race. They’ll be sold via Joe Macari Performance Cars and all are currently spoken for.
