The M1 coupe was hand-built between 1978 and 1981 under the BMW Motorsport division as a homologation special for the Group 4 racing class. Group 4 regulations required eligible race cars to be production-based and built in quantities of at least 400. Unfortunately, larger production models kept Munich assembly lines running at capacity, forcing BMW Motorsports boss Jochen Neerpasch to look to Italy to get the M1 off the ground. Styling, assigned to Giorgetto Giugiaro's ItalDesign firm, was borrowed heavily from BMW's own 1972 Turbo concept. Finally, a year behind schedule, BMW's jaw-dropping supercar officially went on sale in February 1979 at a price of $115,000. Only 397 M1 road cars ever delivered (450 including race cars).
Powered by a twin-cam M88/1 3.5 liter straight-6-cylinder petrol engine with a 24-valve, dual-overhead cam design. The roadgoing M1's engine was to boast 274 hp and produced a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph).Turbocharged racing versions were capable of producing around 850 hp (634 kW). (motortrend.com)
The BMW M1 Procar Championship, was a one-make auto racing series
created in 1979 by Jochen Neerpasch, head of BMW Motorsport.
Styling of the M1 was borrowed heavily from BMW's own 1972 Turbo concept.
2008 BMW M1 Hommage Prototype
(Photos from motortrend.com, classiccarsmagazine.co.uk, supercars.net
rmauctions.com, yo.spc.free.fr & classicandperformancecar.com)
created in 1979 by Jochen Neerpasch, head of BMW Motorsport.
Styling of the M1 was borrowed heavily from BMW's own 1972 Turbo concept.
2008 BMW M1 Hommage Prototype
(Photos from motortrend.com, classiccarsmagazine.co.uk, supercars.net
rmauctions.com, yo.spc.free.fr & classicandperformancecar.com)
