We by no means miss an opportunity to speak concerning the M1, given its significance in BMW’s legacy. The corporate’s personal E26 stars in a brand new video that briefly recounts how the mid-engine supercar got here to be. Its story was tumultuous from the beginning, as Lamborghini’s monetary troubles delayed the launch past the unique 1977 goal.
The M1 was initially supposed to race in Group 4, however prolonged improvement time and regulatory modifications pressured BMW to rethink its plans. Lamborghini dropped out of the venture in 1978 after failing to honor its contract to construct 400 vehicles for BMW Motorsport. German coachbuilder Baur finally dealt with last meeting of the Giugiaro-designed wedge in Stuttgart. Italian firm Marchesi provided the tubular body, TIR produced the fiberglass physique, and Italdesign was answerable for marrying the 2.
Solely 460 vehicles have been ever made for highway and observe use. The M1 finally discovered its place within the devoted Procar Series, which supported Method 1 races in Europe in the course of the 1979 and 1980 seasons. Nonetheless, this system was short-lived and met with blended evaluations, partly resulting from early engine points.
Sadly, nothing fairly just like the M1 has adopted. The 2008 Hommage remained an idea, whereas the 2013 i8 wasn’t a real supercar regardless of its mid-engine structure. The 2019 Imaginative and prescient M Subsequent got here near manufacturing however was finally canceled. Talking with BMWBLOG earlier this yr, M boss Frank van Meel admitted {that a} supercar is not currently a priority.
Nonetheless, there’s room for optimism. BMW is “always looking into” creating a standalone M mannequin to crown the lineup. The mayor of M City hasn’t dominated out a supercar completely, saying: “Possibly sometime we’ll discover the best window of alternative the place now we have the capability to work on a automobile like that.”
Ideally, an M1-inspired flagship would comply with its predecessor’s method with a pure combustion engine. But time is working out, because the M division accelerates electrification to fulfill more and more strict emissions requirements. Hopefully, there’s nonetheless a window for one final ICE range-topper earlier than plug-in hybrids and EVs take over fully.
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