Gordon Murray Le Mans GTR makes global dynamic debut at famous Le Mans Classic event
• Dario Franchitti drives Le Mans GTR on Circuit de la Sarthe for the first time
• Nine-car Gordon Murray line-up showcases past, present, and future on track
• Founder Professor Gordon Murray starts race, honouring lifelong passion for endurance racing
Gordon Murray has marked a landmark weekend at the Le Mans Classic (2–5 July 2026), headlined by the global dynamic debut of the Gordon Murray ‘Le Mans GTR’ supercar experimental prototype and a unique celebration of the designer’s six decades of race and road car engineering.
Taking to the Circuit de la Sarthe for the first time, the Gordon Murray ‘Le Mans GTR’ XP1 delivered its global dynamic debut in heritage racing green, its longtail form flowing down the Mulsanne Straight and through the Porsche Curves. Driven by Dario Franchitti, the supercar combined visual presence with the unique soundtrack of its high-revving Cosworth V12, its 12,100 rpm crescendo echoing across the circuit.
The sleek GMSV ‘Le Mans GTR’ draws on Murray’s own longtail Le Mans racers and integrates influences from icons of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Performance-led aerodynamics define its character, while the new platform blends road-going capability with track-inspired precision. The Le Mans GTR utilises the Cosworth V12 and six-speed manual transmission, with almost every other element re-engineered to create a lightweight, driver-focused, and endurance-inspired supercar.
Professor Gordon Murray was invited to formally start the Le Mans Classic race, waving the French tricolour flag from the start gantry above the pit straight after the demonstration laps of Murray-designed cars was complete.
Professor Gordon Murray, CBE, Group Executive Chairman: ‘It was a great honour to start the Le Mans Classic race, an event that celebrates everything I have loved about endurance racing throughout my career. My passion for longtail racing cars goes back decades – their blend of engineering purpose and aesthetic balance has always fascinated me. To see the Le Mans GTR, a car inspired by those machines, driving on this circuit for the first time was a very special moment.’
A limited series of just 24 GMSV Le Mans GTR supercars will be built – all of which are sold – with development already underway and first customer cars set for completion in 2027. Alongside the Le Mans GTR, Gordon Murray demonstrated a further nine cars on track, showcasing both the current and future range of supercars, as well as defining models from across his career. The full line-up completed an out lap, flying lap, and in lap on Saturday afternoon ahead of the Le Mans Classic racing. The full on-track Murray line up included:
• Gordon Murray T.50 VP1 – Customer car in Bespoke Tartan Red
• Gordon Murray T.50s Niki Lauda XP3 – Track-only prototype in which Dario Franchitti bettered, by seven seconds, the GT3 benchmark at the Bahrain International Circuit during final testing
• Gordon Murray T.33 VP12 – Validation prototype in T.33 VP12 Sentinel Red
• F1 GTR Shorttail 16R (Fina livery) – Le Mans-spec McLaren F1 GTR from the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans
• F1 GTR Shorttail (Lark livery, x2) – Championship-winning All-Japan GT Championship cars from 1996
• Duckhams LM Ford – Lightweight Murray-designed Le Mans racer from 1972
• Brabham BT49B – Championship-winning Formula 1 car from the 1981 season
• Brabham BT44B (Martini livery) – Iconic mid-1970s Brabham racer
• Brabham BT42 (Richard Mille) – Early Gordon Murray-designed chassis
Dario Franchitti: ‘Driving the Le Mans GTR at Circuit de la Sarthe was an incredible experience. The car has a real sense of purpose, inspired by endurance racing, yet it retains that signature Gordon Murray focus on the driver. Sharing that moment with the fans, alongside such an amazing selection of Gordon’s road and race cars, made it even more special. It was a privilege to bring these cars to life in the setting that inspired them.’
Looking ahead, the Gordon Murray team will return to the UK for the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This year’s event follows last year’s celebration of six decades of design and engineering by Professor Gordon Murray CBE. In 2026, the team will focus on showcasing the unique soundtrack of multiple GMA V12 engines – including that of the Le Mans GTR – as they take to the famous Hillclimb from the Supercar Paddock.
Since unveiling the T.50 supercar less than six years ago in August 2020, the Gordon Murray team has designed, developed, manufactured, and delivered 100 T.50 customer cars worldwide, with the model widely recognised as one of the greatest supercars of all time. The team is already delivering the 25 track-only T.50s Niki Lauda models, while T.33 and T.33 Spider supercars are deep into development.
Last year, the Gordon Murray S1 LM and Le Mans GTR models were announced, representing a new generation of even more focused, exclusive, and special supercars.
Photo credit: Gordon Murray Automotive
Posted on Autotech-plus.com
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