Gordon Murray S1 visto de tres cuartos delantero en una carretera de montaña

Gordon Murray S1: the manual V12 also knows how to travel

The new S1 transforms the S1 LM formula into a long-tail roadgoing supercar: lightweight, naturally aspirated, manual, and designed to keep the driver at its core.

August 15, 2026

The Gordon Murray S1 is born from a very specific idea: to take the S1 LM's DNA and move it into a territory that is less about posters and more about long road trips. It is not a grand tourer in the traditional sense, nor does it aim to be. It is a very Gordon Murray interpretation of what an exclusive supercar should be when asked for a bit more elegance, refinement, and range.

The figure that immediately places it on another level is simple: a 4.2-liter Cosworth V12 engine, up to 690 hp, a six-speed manual gearbox, and a total weight of less than 997 kilos. In a world obsessed with four-digit power outputs and massive batteries, the S1 insists on a recipe that is almost uncomfortable in its purity: low weight, naturally aspirated engine, immediate response, and a direct connection between driver and machine.

Gordon Murray presents it as a touring-focused evolution of the S1 LM. This doesn't mean softening it to the point of being unrecognizable, but rather changing its purpose. It retains the central driving position, the low sightline, and the obsession with lightweight engineering, but adds a more elaborate cabin, better materials, more sound insulation, revised displays, and a bespoke lightweight audio system.

That's the interesting point. The S1 doesn't try to compete in theatricality with current hypercars. Its luxury isn't about doing everything for you, but about allowing you to continue feeling the car without punishing every kilometer. It's a piece from Gordon Murray Special Vehicles designed for 64 customers, but also a statement about something broader: there is still room for cars that don't need to justify their existence with electrification, records, or impossible figures.

The design maintains classic proportions, but it doesn't dwell on nostalgia. The front and rear lights are specific, the main headlights integrate their own signature, and the auxiliary lights are placed low within the front intake. The wheels, inspired by the 1992 Monaco show car, connect with a very personal part of Gordon Murray's imagination without turning the car into a retro exercise.

The aerodynamics also change tone. The S1 is optimized for mechanical grip rather than extreme downforce, with revised suspension to offer more comfort on long journeys. That decision says a lot about the car: it doesn't want to be the most aggressive version, but a more mature alternative, equally analog, equally lightweight, and much more open to real-world use.

The result is attractive because it dares to be small in intention and enormous in judgment. Compared to the usual noise in the segment, the S1 proposes a less vulgar form of exclusivity: 64 units, three seats, central driver, naturally aspirated V12, and manual gearbox. It doesn't sound like the future, nor does it need to. It sounds like a very serious conversation between engineering, the road, and taste.

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"The S1 doesn't soften the Gordon Murray idea: it refines it so that the manual V12 also makes sense when the road stretches out."

The Gordon Murray S1is interesting because it doesn't chase easy spectacle. It's based on the S1 LM, retaining the central driving position and naturally aspirated V12, but shifts the focus towards real-world usability, refinement, and road driving. In an era where many supercars seem to compete for volume and excess, this car champions another form of desire: less weight, more feel, and a mechanical connection that still matters.

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Perfil lateral del Gordon Murray S1 sobre carretera de montaña

Interior del Gordon Murray S1 con posición de conducción central y tres asientos

Motor V12 Cosworth de 4,2 litros del Gordon Murray S1 visto en el vano trasero

Detalle de la llanta ligera del Gordon Murray S1 inspirada en el show car Monaco 1992

Koke Muñoz con camiseta AOC Hands blanca sentado en un Porsche Boxster

@KOKEMUNOZZZ — OUTSIDER'S TAKE

AOC.MAGAZINEviews the S1as a necessary rarity: a car that reminds us that exclusivity isn't always about making everything bigger, but about protecting what truly makes driving special.