1981 BMW M1 for sale

Overview of this 1981 BMW M1 used for sale

The M1 body was designed by Giugiaro, with a wedge profile and folding headlights.

As well as being one of the most famous sports cars of the 1970s, the M1 is a fascinating vehicle that shaped BMW M like no other. Boasting a powerful 6-cylinder in-line engine and a name, the BMW M1 became a major player in the automotive world when it debuted in 1978. It can even be said that it exceeded all expectations and became an automotive legend. Right from the start, the M1 was an ambitious project as it was the first vehicle designed by BMW Motorsport GmbH.

Originally, the plan was to use the race car in the German Racing Championship. Due to its long and complicated development time and a change to regulations, the BMW M1 finally appeared in the specially-created Procar series and other competitions. A total of 460 BMW M1s were developed based on homologation specifications according to Group 4 regulations for the road and race track. Each model was handmade. The shape of the BMW M1 goes back to the 1972 study of the BMW Turbo designed by Paul Bracq and was created by renowned vehicle designer Giorgio Giugiaro.

Meanwhile, it featured the typical M1 sound of the high-revving in-line 6-cylinder naturally aspirated engine. Thanks to this, owners and racing drivers continue to drive the wedge-shaped BMW with great enthusiasm to this day. The BMW M1’s empty weight was only 1,300 kg, which combined with the ideal weight distribution through the mid-engine concept led to outstanding handling characteristics. The engine of this top athlete – named M88 internally – achieved continued success for a long time: at the beginning of the 1980s, it served as the basis for the engines of the BMW M635i and the very first BMW M5.