Gordon Murray S1 Lm Is A Corny, Uninspired Mclaren F1 Redux Built For One Guy

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

For collectors, enthusiasts, automakers, and engineers alike, nan McLaren F1 is nan eventual supercar, and it ever will be. It's sewage nan three-seat layout, a ace analog driving acquisition pinch an unthinkable V12 and manual transmission, a record-breaking apical speed, and it won astatine Le Mans. Only 106 were made, and they are presently among nan astir costly cars successful nan world, particularly from nan modern era. More than 30 years on, group cannot extremity talking astir nan F1 aliases trying to replicate its styling and driving experience, particularly successful an era of progressively stringent emissions and clang information regulations.

Aside from McLaren itself, which has made subesquent hypercars for illustration nan P1, W1 and three-seat Speedtail, nan only institution that has really succeeded successful channeling nan tone of nan F1 has been Gordon Murray Automotive, founded by its namesake, nan feline who designed nan McLaren F1. The GMA T.50 is fundamentally a nonstop successor to nan F1, a three-seat layout, F1-esque styling, a screaming V12 paired pinch a manual, and a instrumentality strategy astatine nan rear, thing Murray had ever wanted to do. There will only beryllium 100 of nan T.50 (plus 25 T.50s way versions), but GMA is gonna support doing limited-run specials based connected nan car's level and powertrain.

The first super-exclusive creation from GMA's caller Special Vehicles section is nan GMSV S1 LM (that stands for "special one"). Only 5 will beryllium built, each commissioned by 1 customer pinch a "passion for Gordon's 1990s designs and his landmark 1995 triumph astatine Le Mans." It packs moreover amended capacity and way capacity than nan T.50, but connected nan extracurricular its creation is blatantly a redux of nan F1. To me, it's conscionable uninspired and corny, and not moreover very bully looking. 

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

I for illustration a batch of nan retro-styled modern supercars, for illustration nan Aston Martin Valour and Lamborghini Countach, and I'm a large instrumentality of a well-done restomod, for illustration what Singer and Eccentrica are doing. I deliberation my rumor is that alternatively of taking nan F1's creation and evolving it and modernizing it successful a meaningful way, nan S1 LM conscionable looks for illustration an F1 pinch different lights and somewhat much refined aerodynamics. But it's not really an F1, it uses the T.50's chassis and powertrain, albeit upgraded. The T.50 already looks for illustration an improvement of nan F1, and while I don't for illustration it very much, astatine slightest it feels fresh. The S1 LM doesn't.

Every assemblage sheet is caller and made from c fiber, and GMA says nan roofline is lowered compared to nan T.50. Its beforehand bumper looks for illustration a modern mentation of nan F1 GTR's bumper, pinch slim LED headlights nether what look for illustration covers shaped for illustration nan F1's lights. The greenhouse looks nan aforesaid arsenic nan F1's, but pinch a much absorbing tile scoop and rear model setup. The style of nan assemblage and forward-leaned fender vents are nan aforesaid arsenic nan F1, conscionable smoother and pinch an intake successful beforehand of nan rear wheels for illustration connected nan F1 GTR. There are 4 disfigured information taillights down a grille, akin bumper vents, and a diffuser that does look very cool lodging 4 exhaust tips. The large rear helping is your emblematic large wing, and nan wheels are conscionable for illustration nan F1 GTR's wheels. There are immoderate cool surfacing treatments and small creation flourishes, but wide it conscionable looks precisely really I would expect a somewhat modernized F1 to look.

People who revere nan F1 are astir apt going to emotion this point (I'm not an F1 guy, successful truth I've ever recovered it to beryllium kinda ugly), but I deliberation nan S1 LM is conscionable boring. I get it, existent McLaren F1s are truthful costly and uncommon that moreover Murray himself would surely ne'er do a restomod based connected one, but that's besides why it's disappointing that this looks truthful overmuch for illustration an F1. Doing a modern car pinch much straight retro F1-inspired styling is simply a good thought that could person resulted successful thing cool, but it doesn't consciousness for illustration Murray tried to iterate connected nan creation astatine each here. Why conscionable make nan F1, but new, if you're not gonna really make it consciousness new? And pinch an estimated eight-figure cost, nan feline who is buying each 5 of these tin surely bargain an existent F1 (and I'm judge already has one). If you want an F1, conscionable get an F1! 

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

The interior is beautiful cool, though, pinch a combatant jet–inspired creation and skeletal architecture. There's measurement much c fibre than connected a T.50, pinch caller doorway panels wholly made from nan stuff. While nan gauge cluster is nan aforesaid arsenic nan T.50's, nan dashboard has a unsocial floating creation pinch pill-shape aerial vents and an awesome quilted pattern. GMA doesn't springiness immoderate specifications astir nan rad airbag-less steering wheel, which looks for illustration a '90s racing instrumentality but has integrated controls.

As pinch nan T.50 (and F1), nan S1 LM has a three-seat layout pinch a cardinal driver's seat. That driver gets a racing spot pinch aggravated bolsters, tons of mesh cutouts, and padding that looks consecutive retired of a '70s sci-fi movie. Each rider is successful a less-intense but still enveloping spot placed a spot further back. One of nan specs that GMA showed disconnected has nan driver's spot covered successful metallic quilted leather, while nan different has green, white, and reddish tartan.

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

Powering nan GMSV S1 LM is nan aforesaid Cosworth-designed V12 arsenic nan T.50, but saturated up to 4.3 liters. It makes much than 690 horsepower, putting it betwixt nan roadgoing T.50 and nan T.50s way model, and nan motor revs to 12,100 rpm. The S1 LM has a bespoke Inconel exhaust wrapped successful 18-karat gold-foil power shielding, for illustration nan F1, and nan motor has a higher compression ratio and lighter internals. Its manual transmission uses nan T.50s casing pinch T.50 internals, and GMA says it delivers "short rifle-bolt throws." The S1 LM besides has a unique, little suspension setup pinch caller geometry and dampers. I'm judge it will beryllium utterly spectacular to drive.

In nan property merchandise Gordon Murray is quoted arsenic saying "I emotion timeless design. I ne'er want america to subordinate nan title to make nan astir outrageous looking supercar astatine disbursal of balance, beauty and proportion. Look astatine nan result, nan car is timeless and beautiful." You already don't want to get maine started connected "timeless" design, but I deliberation herein lies nan problem. Murray conscionable did his top deed again, chasing that precocious erstwhile more, alternatively of doing thing moreover a small much absorbing for illustration GMA's different models. Of course, nan only important sentiment present is nan 1 of nan feline who commissioned these. What do you think?

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles