gordonmurrayautomotive ‘s first S1 LM commission just became the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, and the story behind it is as wild as the number. This car is a direct, modern successor to the McLaren F1 LM, built with a singular purpose: to express Gordon Murray’s purest engineering philosophy. Only five S1 LMs will ever exist, and this first example was developed hand-in-hand with Murray himself and Dario Franchitti. It packs a 4.3-liter Cosworth V12 screaming to 12,100 rpm, making 700 horsepower, paired with a six-speed manual and targeting just 957 kg dry, a formula that feels almost illegal in today’s world. Every surface is shaped for feel and efficiency, and the gold-wrapped Inconel exhaust echoes the iconic treatment used on the original McLaren F1. There’s emotional weight here too: Murray created the S1 LM while battling cancer, calling it a personal reminder of why he builds cars at all, a detail that adds enormous significance for collectors. During the l...