BMW M1

BMW Motorsport began developing the M1 in 1975 to promote the brand through racing. Engineers were tasked with designing a racing coupé, but the rules also required at least 400 road cars on the same platform. Production planned for 1978 was delayed by contractor problems. The first cars appeared only in 1979, by which time revised racing rules had made them ineligible. BMW therefore funded the ProCar one-make series on Formula One circuits with world-class drivers.

The M1’s styling reflected the finest trends of its era and Giorgetto Giugiaro’s distinctive style. The rear-wheel-drive sports car had a 24-valve inline-six displacing 3,453 cc, producing 277 PS at 6,500 rpm and 324 Nm at 5,000 rpm. Weighing 1,290 kg, it reached 264 km/h and accelerated to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.