BMW M1

History of the M1

The first mid-engine race car from BMW was released in 1978. This BMW icon was designed by the star designer of its time: Giorgio Giugaro. BMW commissioned the struggling company Lamborghini to design parts and build the first M1. Poor quality and unreliability at Lamborghini led to the end of the "joint venture" after just a few models. It was then decided that the Italian specialist Marchesi would manufacture the space frame and T.I.R. would produce the plastic bodywork. The company Italdesign, which had experience with the winding-down production of the Maserati Bora (also a mid-engine sports car), mounted the bodies on the frames and transported the finished bodies to Baur in Stuttgart. The Motorsport GmbH, established specifically for the M1, supplied the engines, and ZF provided the drive. Baur then completed this M1, a race car tamed for the street. The midwives of this project were Jochen Nerpasch and BMW engine expert Paul Rosche. Undoubtedly, the M1 remains an icon of BMW sports cars today, which is certainly also due to the BMW Procar racing series created specifically for it, which took place before the actual Formula 1 races in 1979 and 1980. Famous F1 drivers like Niki Lauda in 1979 and Nelson Piquet in 1980 each achieved overall victory. The visual features were flat, wide, wedge-shaped, with two overhead camshafts, a 3.5-liter 6-cylinder four-valve engine (then a sensation) with 277 PS, a 5-speed ZF transmission, and a mid-engine concept, the technical ingredients for this BMW legend.

Vita of the M1 offered here

Our BMW M1 was completed on March 27, 1980, in the color orange and was delivered to the company Seeger &Hoffmann delivered to Switzerland. This company produced fiberglass parts for Procar M1 vehicles at the time and was probably also responsible for the repainting into the current red color. Shortly thereafter, the M1 was transferred to a collection in Germany and then, presumably in 2007, moved to a collection in Ireland with a mileage of 2,876. The M1 was maintained by Munich Legends/England (invoices available) and was apparently driven significantly more, as it was sold in 2010 to a German collection with 7,297 KM at the time. In Germany, the control unit was overhauled by renowned BMW M1 specialists, as well as the ZF transmission including the differential and the complete braking system. The odometer now shows just over 11,000 kilometers. Of course, invoices and a service booklet are available. The interior matches the condition of a year-old car. Nothing is worn, frayed, or damaged. The overall condition of this M1 bears witness to careful and forward-looking handling of this mid-engine sports car. Only the front hood might need repainting. Otherwise, the condition is flawless. The BMW drives as it should, the suspension is crisp and firm, the gears engage precisely, and the engine's spontaneous responsiveness is a delight. Conclusion: A true collector's item from BMW with a very low mileage, of which only 453 units were built in total.