Video: Gordon Murray's S1 LM is a masterpiece for an audience of one

I don't spare much thought for modern supercars, generally. Some are beautiful, sure, but most won't live long in my memory.

Every now and then, though, something a little more special comes along – and if I were to suggest there's any pattern to my tastes, it usually starts with retro lines and deliberate tributes to the '80s and '90s.

No surprises, then, that I was immediately drawn to Gordon Murray's new S1 LM – and dismayed that I'll be bloody lucky to ever see one in the flesh, with all five destined for one greedy buyer.

The car itself is a direct tribute to Murray’s most famous design, the McLaren F1, and its incredible 1995 win at Le Mans.

Revealed by his new Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) outfit, the S1 LM masterfully blends the F1’s iconic shape with the engineering of his more recent T.50 supercar.

It's more than just a mashup, of course; it's a thoughtful evolution, with unique lighting and clever side ducting that mixes old and new ideas.

Under the rear decklid is a 4.3-litre V12 pushing out over 521kW, with its gearbox borrowing the best bits from both the T.50 and its track-focused T.50s sibling. The suspension is lighter and stiffer, too.

Inside, it keeps the classic three-abreast seating arrangement, with GMSV calling the minimalist approach a “skeletal architecture.”

Murray himself says he loves timeless design and never wants to "join the race to make the most outrageous looking supercar".

A man after my own heart.

It’s a shame, then, that GMSV is building only five examples. It’s a proper kick in the teeth that they’re all going to one person. A timeless beauty most of us will never see.

He's also revealed a new Le Mans GTR, too, which you can check out in the video below. It's pretty cool, but I wanted this post to be all about the S1 LM.