Gregor Wenner
Specialist Consultant
LOT 142
1981 BMW M1 Coupé Chassis no. WBS00000094301097
Estimate: €450,000 - €500,000
1981 BMW M1 Coupé
Chassis no. WBS00000094301097
Chassis no. WBS00000094301097
• One of only some 450 built
• Delivered new in Germany
• Single family ownership from new until very recently
• Comprehensive mostly main-agent service history
• Registered in Germany
A proposed Group 5 'Silhouette Formula' for production-based cars triggered the M1 programme in the mid-1970s, a mid-engined concept car designed in-house at BMW by Paul Bracq providing the basis. Head of BMW's newly formed Motorsport Division, former racing driver Jochen Neerpasch was responsible for masterminding this ambitious project, whose aims included taking on rivals Porsche in the World Sportscar Championship and, ultimately, victory at Le Mans.
M1 development was contracted first to Lamborghini and then to Giorgetto Giugiaro's Ital Design, although almost all cars ended up being built by BMW in Germany. Giugiaro's compact coupé bodywork in glassfibre was wrapped around a multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, while a twin-overhead-cam, four-valves-per-cylinder version of BMW's 3.5-litre inline six, driving via a ZF five-speed transaxle, provided the motive power.
The M1's wedge-shaped coachwork proved highly efficient aerodynamically, needing very little in the way of additional spoilers and wings in race configuration. Lamborghini's Gianpaolo Dallara had been responsible for developing the suspension, which followed racing practice by using unequal-length wishbones at front and rear. Soberly trimmed in black and grey, the M1's interior was exceptionally well equipped for a sports car, featuring Recaro seats, air conditioning, electric windows, remotely operated door mirrors and a heated rear screen.
First shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1978, the road-going version came with 273bhp and a top speed of 165mph (265km/h). Only ever intended as a limited-edition model, the M1 ceased production after a little over 450 examples had been built, just exceeding the minimum of 400 required for Group 4 homologation, which would have preceded homologation for Group 5. In the event, the abandonment of the Group 5 Silhouette Formula robbed the car of its raison d'être, though the one-make Procar BMW M1 Championship series run at Formula 1 Grand Prix races in 1979 and '80 provided BMW Motorsport with a valuable showcase by way of consolation. The series ran for only those two years, Nicki Lauda winning the 1979 championship and Nelson Piquet the 1980 one. A new M1 road car was awarded to each winner.
Delivered new to its first owner in Berlin, Germany in the stunning colour combination of Inka Orange with black interior, this M1 is believed to have been enjoyed by the first owner's family from new until very recently, when it was purchased by our vendor. The car had been carefully enjoyed by its Berlin-based owner, who always had it meticulously serviced, mostly at the main BMW concessionaire in Berlin. By 1996 it had already covered some 105,000 kilometres, as evidenced by entries in the accompanying original service book, which has been stamped on no fewer than 19 occasions. At the time of cataloguing the odometer reading was 141,000 kilometres, a testament to BMW reliability and the fact that the M1 has always been, and still is, a very useable supercar.
A new clutch was installed in 2017, while more recent works include services in 2023 and October 2024, when new Pirelli tyres were fitted (P7 to the front, PZero Asimmetrico to the rear) and the oil and brake fluid changed. Since acquisition by our vendor, the central cooling water pipes (which are located in the central tunnel in the chassis and are a notorious M1 weakness) were replaced with original BMW items and the surrounding area thoroughly cleaned and sealed. Charmingly, the interior boasts a period Clarion sound system including radio, cassette player and amplifier as well as sportier Recaro bucket seats, trimmed in black leather.
An important landmark in BMW's history, and in particular of its involvement with motor sport in the post-war era, the M1 is already highly collectible and is surely destined to become increasingly sought after by discerning aficionados of the marque. Offered with German registration documents, its original service book and owner's manual, and various invoices, this BMW M1 ticks all the boxes: Giugiaro styling, superb and reliable BMW engine, beautiful colour combination and long-term enthusiastic ownership.
• Delivered new in Germany
• Single family ownership from new until very recently
• Comprehensive mostly main-agent service history
• Registered in Germany
A proposed Group 5 'Silhouette Formula' for production-based cars triggered the M1 programme in the mid-1970s, a mid-engined concept car designed in-house at BMW by Paul Bracq providing the basis. Head of BMW's newly formed Motorsport Division, former racing driver Jochen Neerpasch was responsible for masterminding this ambitious project, whose aims included taking on rivals Porsche in the World Sportscar Championship and, ultimately, victory at Le Mans.
M1 development was contracted first to Lamborghini and then to Giorgetto Giugiaro's Ital Design, although almost all cars ended up being built by BMW in Germany. Giugiaro's compact coupé bodywork in glassfibre was wrapped around a multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, while a twin-overhead-cam, four-valves-per-cylinder version of BMW's 3.5-litre inline six, driving via a ZF five-speed transaxle, provided the motive power.
The M1's wedge-shaped coachwork proved highly efficient aerodynamically, needing very little in the way of additional spoilers and wings in race configuration. Lamborghini's Gianpaolo Dallara had been responsible for developing the suspension, which followed racing practice by using unequal-length wishbones at front and rear. Soberly trimmed in black and grey, the M1's interior was exceptionally well equipped for a sports car, featuring Recaro seats, air conditioning, electric windows, remotely operated door mirrors and a heated rear screen.
First shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1978, the road-going version came with 273bhp and a top speed of 165mph (265km/h). Only ever intended as a limited-edition model, the M1 ceased production after a little over 450 examples had been built, just exceeding the minimum of 400 required for Group 4 homologation, which would have preceded homologation for Group 5. In the event, the abandonment of the Group 5 Silhouette Formula robbed the car of its raison d'être, though the one-make Procar BMW M1 Championship series run at Formula 1 Grand Prix races in 1979 and '80 provided BMW Motorsport with a valuable showcase by way of consolation. The series ran for only those two years, Nicki Lauda winning the 1979 championship and Nelson Piquet the 1980 one. A new M1 road car was awarded to each winner.
Delivered new to its first owner in Berlin, Germany in the stunning colour combination of Inka Orange with black interior, this M1 is believed to have been enjoyed by the first owner's family from new until very recently, when it was purchased by our vendor. The car had been carefully enjoyed by its Berlin-based owner, who always had it meticulously serviced, mostly at the main BMW concessionaire in Berlin. By 1996 it had already covered some 105,000 kilometres, as evidenced by entries in the accompanying original service book, which has been stamped on no fewer than 19 occasions. At the time of cataloguing the odometer reading was 141,000 kilometres, a testament to BMW reliability and the fact that the M1 has always been, and still is, a very useable supercar.
A new clutch was installed in 2017, while more recent works include services in 2023 and October 2024, when new Pirelli tyres were fitted (P7 to the front, PZero Asimmetrico to the rear) and the oil and brake fluid changed. Since acquisition by our vendor, the central cooling water pipes (which are located in the central tunnel in the chassis and are a notorious M1 weakness) were replaced with original BMW items and the surrounding area thoroughly cleaned and sealed. Charmingly, the interior boasts a period Clarion sound system including radio, cassette player and amplifier as well as sportier Recaro bucket seats, trimmed in black leather.
An important landmark in BMW's history, and in particular of its involvement with motor sport in the post-war era, the M1 is already highly collectible and is surely destined to become increasingly sought after by discerning aficionados of the marque. Offered with German registration documents, its original service book and owner's manual, and various invoices, this BMW M1 ticks all the boxes: Giugiaro styling, superb and reliable BMW engine, beautiful colour combination and long-term enthusiastic ownership.
Footnotes
BMW M1 Coupé de 1981
Chassis no. WBS00000094301097
• Un des 450 exemplaires construits.
• Livré neuve en Allemagne.
• Propriété d'une seule famille depuis sa sortie d'usine jusqu'à très récemment.
• Historique d'entretien complet, principalement effectué par le concessionnaire principal.
• Immatriculé en Allemagne.
Une proposition de « Silhouette Formula » Groupe 5 pour des voitures dérivées de la production a déclenché le programme M1 au milieu des années 1970, basé sur un concept à moteur central conçu en interne chez BMW par Paul Bracq. Jochen Neerpasch, ancien pilote et directeur de la nouvelle division BMW Motorsport, fut l'architecte de ce projet ambitieux, dont l'objectif était de rivaliser avec Porsche en Championnat du Monde des voitures de sport et, à terme, de remporter les 24 Heures du Mans.
Le développement de la M1 fut d'abord confié à Lamborghini, puis à Ital Design de Giorgetto Giugiaro, bien que la quasi-totalité des exemplaires ait finalement été assemblée par BMW en Allemagne. La carrosserie compacte en fibre de verre signée Giugiaro enveloppait un châssis multitubulaire, tandis qu'un six-cylindres en ligne 3,5 litres BMW, doté de deux arbres à cames en tête et quatre soupapes par cylindre, associé à une boîte transaxle ZF à cinq rapports, assurait la puissance.
La M1, avec ses lignes acérées, a su tirer parti d'une aérodynamique particulièrement efficace, nécessitant peu d'appendices supplémentaires en configuration course. Gianpaolo Dallara, ingénieur chez Lamborghini, développa la suspension à doubles triangles superposés à l'avant et à l'arrière, suivant les standards de la compétition. L'habitacle, sobrement habillé de noir et gris, était remarquablement équipé pour une sportive : sièges Recaro, climatisation, rétroviseurs extérieurs à commande électrique et lunette arrière chauffante.
Présentée pour la première fois au Salon de l'automobile de Paris en 1978, la version routière développait 273 ch et atteignait une vitesse maximale de 265 km/h. Conçue uniquement comme un modèle en édition limitée, la M1 a cessé d'être produite après un peu plus de 450 exemplaires construits, dépassant juste le minimum de 400 requis pour l'homologation du Groupe 4, qui aurait précédé l'homologation du Groupe 5. En fin de compte, l'abandon de la « Silhouette Formula » du Groupe 5 a privé la voiture de sa raison d'être, même si le championnat monomarque Procar BMW M1, organisé lors des Grands Prix de Formule 1 en 1979 et 1980, a offert à BMW Motorsport une vitrine prestigieuse. La série n'a duré que deux ans, Nicki Lauda remportant le championnat 1979 et Nelson Piquet celui de 1980, chacun repartant avec une M1 neuve.
Cet exemplaire, livré neuf à Berlin dans la superbe teinte Inka Orange avec intérieur noir, serait resté dans la famille du premier propriétaire jusqu'à récemment, avant d'être acquis par notre vendeur. Entretenue avec soin, principalement chez le concessionnaire BMW de Berlin, la voiture affichait déjà 105 000 km en 1996, comme en attestent les 19 tampons du carnet d'entretien d'origine qui l'accompagne. Au moment du catalogage, le compteur kilométrique affichait 141 000 kilomètres, ce qui témoigne de la fiabilité de BMW et du fait que la M1 a toujours été, et est toujours, une supercar très utilisable.
Un nouvel embrayage a été installé en 2017, tandis que les travaux plus récents comprennent des révisions en 2023 et octobre 2024, lors desquelles de nouveaux pneus Pirelli ont été montés (P7 à l'avant, PZero Asimmetrico à l'arrière) et l'huile et le liquide de frein ont été changés. Depuis son acquisition par notre vendeur, les tuyaux centraux d'eau de refroidissement (qui sont situés dans le tunnel central du châssis et constituent un point faible notoire de la M1) ont été remplacés par des pièces d'origine BMW et la zone environnante a été soigneusement nettoyée et scellée. L'intérieur dispose d'un système audio Clarion d'époque comprenant une radio, un lecteur de cassettes et un amplificateur, ainsi que des sièges baquets Recaro plus sportifs, garnis de cuir noir.
Étape importante dans l'histoire de BMW, et en particulier dans son implication dans le sport automobile de l'après-guerre, la M1 est déjà très recherchée par les collectionneurs et est sans aucun doute destinée à devenir de plus en plus prisée par les amateurs avertis de la marque. Livrée avec ses documents d'immatriculation allemands, son carnet d'entretien et son manuel d'utilisation d'origine, ainsi que diverses factures, cette BMW M1 coche toutes les cases : style Giugiaro, moteur BMW superbe et fiable, belle combinaison de couleurs et propriétaire enthousiaste de longue date.
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