The first build slot for the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles S1 LM has sold through RM Sotheby's in Las Vegas for $20.63 million. The lot covered the future chassis number 1 of a five-car series and gave the buyer direct involvement in the final specification and development of the car.
The S1 LM was conceived as a modern counterpart to the McLaren F1 LM and the F1 GTR's 1995 Le Mans victory. A central driving position, six-speed manual gearbox and very low mass take priority over digital equipment. Target weight is 957 kg.
Power comes from a bespoke naturally aspirated 4.3-litre Cosworth V12 producing more than 700 hp at 12,100 rpm. The car uses a heavily reworked structure derived from the T.50, but with its own body, modified monocoque and distinct engineering programme.
The auction result is unusual because the lot was not an established collector car but the right to create the first customer example. Excluding charity auctions, the price was reported as a record for a new car sold at auction. Earlier in the same year, the one-off Ferrari Daytona SP3 reached $26 million, but that sale donated its entire proceeds to charity.