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M1 Celebrates 30 Years April 2, 2008 ) BMW's mid-engine M1 sports car. Click on images for larger views.
The M1 debuted at the 1978 Paris auto show as the first car developed and built by BMW's now-legendary Motorsport division, itself established only six years prior. The automaker needed a production M1 in order for the racing version to meet regulations. Four-hundred units had to be produced over 24 successive months. BMW designer Paul Bracq teamed up with Italian designer Giorgio Giugiaro to style the M1, having previously worked together on the 6 Series coupe. Auto journalists and consumers alike were smitten. Sitting behind the two-seat cockpit resides a 3.5-liter straight-six generating 277 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque — remarkable output for the time. Equally remarkable is the performance. The M1 accelerates from zero to 62 MPH in just 5.6 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 164 MPH. This made it Germany's fastest sports car at the time. ) The M1 is the only BMW to ever wear two logo badges on its rear, one at each side.
Later twin-turbo versions put out 1,000 horsepower. They also required major modifications to the space frame and glass-fiber-enforced body shell, particularly in the way of aerodynamics, to keep handling under control. Two 58-liter tanks supply plenty of fuel while dry-sump lubrication allows for high levels of lateral acceleration. A five-speed manual transmission transfers the power to the pavement via 16-inch wheels and tires. Production of the M1 ended in 1981 after a run of 445 street-legal and racing versions. The brilliant engine, however, lived on to power the M5 and M 635 CSi. In the day, the M1 cost 100,000 Deutsche marks, equal to four BMW 323is and with change to spare. It's a bit surprising that today BMW doesn't offer an ultimate all-out sports car — like its German rivals Mercedes and Audi with their SLR and R8, respectively. Perhaps the next Z4 will help fill the slot. Also see: BMW's New Supercar? M1 Returns )
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