Video: Gordon Murray on the mission to power the McLaren F1

26th December 2023

Ethan Jupp

There’s nothing quite like watching and listening to an artist muse about his creation. That’s what we’re doing with today’s video, though there’s no paint nor canvas to be found. The art is the McLaren F1, widely hailed as the greatest motorcar of all time. The artist is of course, Gordon Murray, although he’d prefer to be known as its architect.

For he didn’t dictate the look of the McLaren F1. Rather, he set out the specifications of every parameter of the car. In this video, he talks us through the process of getting an engine for the F1, from the goal of surpassing 100hp per litre, to the necessity for a natural aspiration and multiple cylinders – preferably 12 – for the ultimate in response and sound. When you have the kind of race-honed discipline of Gordon Murray, the results are bound to be astonishing. And of course, they were. A Le Mans win, a long-standing speed record and universal adoration have driven the McLaren F1’s rise to being one of the most valuable motorcars on Earth.

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Wrestling a single seater at the Nürburgring… in the snow!