Gordon Murray Automotive has marked a landmark weekend at the recent Le Mans Classic at Circuit de la Sarthe in France, headlined by the global track debut of its new Le Mans GTR supercar experimental prototype and a unique celebration of the designer’s six decades of race and road car engineering. Taking place from July 2-5, Le Mans Classic is a massive annual vintage motorsport festival celebrating endurance racing.

Taking to the Circuit de la Sarthe for the first time, the Gordon Murray Le Mans GTR XP1 was painted for its global dynamic debut in a deep heritage racing green colour with its longtail form flowing down the Mulsanne Straight and through the Porsche Curves. The Le Mans GTR was driven by racing driver Dario Franchitti and was reportedly a big hit with the crowds.

According to Gordon Murray Automotive, the Le Mans GTR draws on founder Murray’s own longtail Le Mans racers. 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.”

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The Cosworth V12 engine displaces just 4.0-litres, revs to 12,100rpm and makes 488kW of power. Just 24 examples of the Le Mans GTR are scheduled for production and all are already sold ahead of the first deliveries that are scheduled for 2027.

Alongside the Le Mans GTR, Gordon Murray Automotive also demonstrated a further nine cars on the track, including two T.50s, a T.33 prototype, two McLaren F1 GTR Shorttails, a Duckhams LM Ford and three Brabhams.

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.”

Since 2020, Gordon Murray Automotive has delivered all 100 production units of its first production model, the T.50, and development of the T.33 and its convertible Spider variant continues. Like brands such as McLaren, GMA will also be present at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed with the Le Mans GTR, which will tackle the famous hill climb too.