Las Vegas thrives on spectacle, yet even this city had never witnessed a moment like RM Sotheby’s dramatic showcase during the 2025 Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend. The first Gordon Murray Special Vehicles S1 LM sold for $20.63 million, instantly becoming the most expensive new car ever auctioned, excluding charitable sales. The record-setting result surpassed the Bugatti Chiron Profilée and set a new benchmark for modern, ultra-exclusive performance machines.
The drama unfolded in unforgettable fashion. As live bidding intensified, the S1 LM appeared in the sky, suspended beneath a helicopter as it drifted over the Strip. The bold aerial entrance stunned bidders in the room and captivated audiences watching from around the world. Even in a market accustomed to theatrics, this moment felt uniquely cinematic.
Collectors fought fiercely for the allocation because the S1 LM represents a new pinnacle in contemporary automotive design. Shelby Myers, Head of Private Sales at RM Sotheby’s, described its significance with precision. “Cornerstone cars like the 300 SL and F40 define major collections,” he noted. “Even the McLaren F1, often considered one of the greatest automobiles ever created, was still a production model. The S1 LM is something else entirely. Gordon Murray designed it without constraints, without compromise, and exactly to his vision.”
Only five S1 LM cars will exist. The winning bidder secured not only the first allocation but also a rare opportunity to collaborate directly with Gordon Murray and development driver Dario Franchitti throughout the build process. This level of access is unusual even in the highest tiers of automotive collecting and played a significant role in the car’s extraordinary valuation.
The S1 LM channels the spirit of Murray’s greatest masterpiece, the McLaren F1. It draws inspiration from the McLaren F1 LM and celebrates the 30th anniversary of the F1 GTR’s 1995 Le Mans victory. For many collectors, the F1 LM sits at the very top of the performance pyramid. The S1 LM becomes the only modern machine crafted under Murray’s hand that continues that lineage, making its arrival all the more meaningful.
Underneath its sculpted carbon-fiber body, the car features a naturally aspirated 4.3-liter Cosworth V-12 producing 700 horsepower at 12,100 rpm. A six-speed manual gearbox preserves mechanical purity, while a targeted dry weight of 957 kilograms delivers the lightweight engineering Murray champions. Details such as the Inconel exhaust wrapped in 18-karat gold foil echo the McLaren F1’s groundbreaking heat-management techniques, and the cabin remains focused, functional, and free of distraction.
Beyond its engineering, the S1 LM carries deep personal significance for Murray. He developed the project during his battle with cancer and described it as a return to the core of why he builds cars. That emotional clarity adds dimension to the car’s creation and resonates throughout the engineering choices, design philosophy, and purpose behind the build.
The sale of the first S1 LM marks a pivotal moment in modern collecting. It bridges the legacy of the McLaren F1 with the future of Gordon Murray’s vision and signals a shift toward intensely personal, uncompromised, ultra-limited performance machines. The S1 LM didn’t simply break a record; it redefined the standard for what a modern automotive icon can be. For one fortunate collector, the journey begins with the first car in a series of only five.
