1980 BMW M1: The Original BMW “M” Car and 1 of 399 Produced
This 1980 BMW M1 is one of just 399 road-legal examples and is an extremely well-preserved original survivor with only 34k kilometers (21k miles) from new. Inka orange with black interior. It runs and drives well. Believed to retain its original paintwork. Offered with a clean Carfax report, tool roll, and spare.
Among the rarest models BMW has ever built, and the first to be created entirely under the purview of its elite M division, the M1 is a hand-built homologation special developed in the late 1970s as the German automaker sought to compete at higher levels of motorsports. Intent on using a mid-engine layout, BMW initially contracted Lamborghini to develop the M1 chassis, and its tubular steel space frame is said to have been devised with input from noted Italian engineer Giampaolo Dallara. The final product was impressive, featuring a rigid spaceframe and sophisticated, double-wishbone suspension with adjustable coil springs and Bilstein gas-filled dampers. Angular fiberglass bodywork by noted designer Giorgetto Giugiaro gave the M1 visual appeal commensurate with its performance potential. BMW’s newly developed M88 3,453-cubic-centimeter inline six-cylinder engine was mounted ahead of the rear axle and featured advancements such as six individual throttle bodies and mechanical fuel injection. In street spec the engine produced 277 horsepower at 6,500 rpm, 243 pounds-feet of torque at 5,500 rpm, and an adrenaline-pumping shriek at full throttle.
Retaining an astounding degree of well-preserved original finishes throughout, this M1 represents an unrepeatable opportunity for the collector. It is, without a doubt, the ultimate driving machine.
Price: $565,000
