The McLaren F1 was one of the most important cars of the 20th century. And thanks to a BMW-supplied V12 engine underneath the rear clamshell, it’s likely more than one BMW enthusiast’s dream supercar. Gordon Murray, the designer behind the McLaren F1, hasn’t been resting on his laurels since the mid-1990s, though. After nearly 20 years with McLaren, he’s started his own shop. Half a decade ago, he stunned the world with the GMA T.50. Now, the T.50 is being elevated even further. Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) is introducing, essentially, a modernized McLaren F1 GTR dubbed the GMA S1 LM. And though its BMW power plant might be MIA, the lineage couldn’t be clearer.
GMA Goes F1 With the S1 LM
As we mentioned, the GMA S1 LM is based on the T.50. But GMA took steps to better align the car’s exterior design with the McLaren F1 GTR of yore. The car’s aluminum and carbon fiber tub is shod in new carbon fiber bodywork displaying an array of strakes, divots, and intakes — likely in the name of aerodynamics but also paying clear homage to the F1. Five-spoke wheels pay clear homage to the F1 GTR’s wheels. While the S1 LM loses the rear fan adorning the back of the T.50, it gains a quad exhaust, F1-style lighting, and F1-inspired badging. It also gains a unique aero kit comprising a front splitter, rear diffuser, and multipiece rear wing. A lower roofline and lower ride height further further differentiate the car from the T.50 it’s based on.
As in the T.50, the S1 LM’s engine is in the back. While the BMW-sourced S70 is out, GMA has a modern V12 engine that’s more than capable of stepping in. The 4.3-liter V12 produces around 690 horsepower (700 PS) and is capable of revving to an otherworldly 12,100 rpm. Like the McLaren F1, the S1 LM features gold foil heat shielding in the engine bay. The V12 bolts up to a manual gearbox that shares its casing and internals with the T50’s. The S1 LM does not share a suspension with the T50; GMA claims it’s “bespoke.”
Room For Three
Inside, the S1 LM even replicates the BMW-powered F1’s odd three-across seating arrangement. Although, that shouldn’t be a surprise — that’s actually a holdover from the T.50, too. The central driving position, clean gauge layout, and premium materials are a common thread across all Gordon Murray-designed vehicles. There is no reason to expect anything different here in the S1 LM.
The three-seater layout means that only fifteen people on Earth could ever find themselves sitting in an S1 LM at the same time. GMA is producing “the client” only five examples of the car. The phrasing certainly indicates that just one (very good) customer is taking home all five, but we’re speculating. Despite channeling the F1 GTR — the race version of the F1 — the S1 LM is completely road legal. No word on price but deliveries begin in 2026. These are the kind of cars we love seeing. We appreciate GMA making the best of the best as good as it can be thirty years later. Even if we’ll never sit in, let alone drive, one.
