Most Expensive New Car Ever Sold at an Auction (Excluding Charity)

The Successor to the Holy Grail: RM Sotheby’s sells the first Gordon Murray S1 LM commission for 20.63 million, making it the most expensive new car ever sold at auction excluding charitable sales.

• The first Gordon Murray S1 LM commission sold for $20,630,000, surpassing the Bugatti Chiron Profilée and becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction excluding charitable sales.

• During live bidding, the S1 LM was flown over Las Vegas under a helicopter, creating an unprecedented auction moment.

• Only five S1 LMs will ever be built, and the winning bidder secured the first allocation with direct collaboration from Gordon Murray and Dario Franchitti.

• The car’s value is driven by its lineage to the McLaren F1 LM, its extreme engineering, and its personal significance to Murray.

RM Sotheby’s has sold the first Gordon Murray Special Vehicles S1 LM commission for 20.63 million during the 2025 Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix Weekend. The result surpasses the Bugatti Chiron Profilée, the highest publicly verified sale of a brand new supercar at auction, establishing the S1 LM as the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, excluding charitable sales. The sale reflects the significance of the S1 LM’s lineage, its rarity, and its direct connection to Gordon Murray, the creator of the McLaren F1.

In a moment unlike anything seen before at an automotive auction, the S1 LM was flown over the city of Las Vegas under a helicopter during live bidding, captivating the audience inside the room and viewers around the world. The surreal sight of the car suspended beneath the aircraft created one of the most dramatic auction moments in recent memory and intensified the global competition for the first allocation.

“There are cornerstone cars found in major collections around the world, from the 300 SL to the F40 and other celebrated icons,” said Shelby Myers, Head of Private Sales at RM Sotheby’s. “Even the McLaren F1, which many consider one of the greatest automobiles ever created, was still a production model. The S1 LM is something entirely different. It comes from the same mind, Gordon Murray, but without production constraints, without compromise and created exactly to his vision. One of five and fully bespoke. It stands at a higher level of significance in modern collecting. It is a true holy grail and one of the most important modern supercars ever built.”

The S1 LM represents the purest expression of Murray’s philosophy and the first chapter of a new era for his brand. Inspired by the McLaren F1 LM and created to honor the 30th anniversary of the F1 GTR’s 1995 Le Mans victory, the car stands on the shoulders of one of the greatest achievements in modern automotive history. For many collectors, the McLaren F1 LM is the untouchable top of the pyramid and the S1 LM is the only machine ever built under Murray’s hand that carries forward that DNA.

Only five S1 LMs will be built. Tonight’s winning bidder secured the very first allocation which includes a full collaborative build process with Gordon Murray and development driver Dario Franchitti. This direct involvement from the original architect of the McLaren F1 is one of the key reasons the valuation sits at the absolute top of the modern performance world.

The S1 LM is powered by a 4.3-liter Cosworth V-12 producing 700 horsepower at 12,100 rpm with a six-speed manual gearbox. With a targeted dry weight of 957 kilograms, the car is a return to true lightweight engineering and mechanical purity. Every surface of the body is shaped from carbon fiber, engineered for strength and efficiency. The Inconel exhaust, wrapped in 18 karat gold foil, recalls the F1’s groundbreaking heat management. The cabin is stripped back to nothing but what matters. This is a car built with zero compromise and total clarity of purpose.

The S1 LM is also deeply personal to Murray, created during his battle with cancer. He has described the project as a reminder of why he builds cars in the first place. That emotional weight and authenticity, combined with its lineage, rarity, and engineering brilliance, fuels the result achieved tonight.

The sale connects the legacy of the McLaren F1 with the future of Gordon Murray’s vision and marks a defining moment for ultra-exclusive modern performance cars.

About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s is the world’s largest collector car auction house by total sales. With over 45 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live, online, and Sealed) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction.