Forget the usual supercar arms race. Gordon Murray Special Vehicles has unveiled the S1, and its idea of progress is gloriously old-fashioned: make it light, give it a huge naturally aspirated V12, fit a manual gearbox and then—radical thought—make it comfortable enough to actually drive somewhere.

Revealed at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, the S1 is the touring-focused sibling of the ferocious S1 LM. Gone are the giant fixed wing, enormous splitter and deep side skirts. In their place is a cleaner, more elegant shape, with active rear aero tucked discreetly into the bodywork.

The engine, naturally, is anything but discreet. A bespoke 4.2-litre Cosworth V12 produces up to 690 PS and screams all the way to 12,100rpm. There’s around 500Nm of torque, with most of it available from just 2,500rpm. Power goes through a six-speed manual gearbox, because apparently Gordon Murray hasn’t received the memo about paddle shifters.

The suspension has been softened and the ride height raised by 10mm, while the cabin gains better seats, insulation, infotainment and audio. Yet the S1 remains fiercely focused on the driver, retaining its central driving position and lightweight construction.

Only 64 will be built, each individually commissioned. Price is still a secret.

But perhaps the biggest surprise is the mission statement. The S1 isn’t trying to destroy a stopwatch. It wants to make a long road, a glorious V12 and a manual gearbox feel like the only things that matter.

Frankly, that sounds rather perfect.