BMW M1
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The BMW M1 is a sports car that was produced by German automaker BMW from 1978 to 1981.
In the late 1970s, Italian manufacturer Lamborghini entered into an agreement with BMW to build a production racing car in sufficient quantity for homologation.[1][2] The result was sold to the public, from 1978 to 1981, as the BMW M1. It was the first and only mid-engined BMW to be mass produced. It employed a twin-cam M88/1 3.5 L 6-cylinder gasoline engine with Kugelfischer injection. A version of this motor was later used in the South African version of the BMW 745i, of which 209 examples were built between 1984 and 1986, as well as the E24 BMW M6/M635CSi and E28 BMW M5. The engine had six separate throttle butterflies, four valves per cylinder and produced 277 PS (273 hp/204 kW) in the street version, giving a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph). Turbocharged racing versions were capable of producing around 850 hp (634 kW).
The M1 coupe was hand-built between 1978 and 1981 under the Motorsport division of BMW as a homologation special for sports car racing. The body was designed by Giugiaro, taking inspiration from the 1972 BMW Turbo show car. Originally, BMW commissioned Lamborghini to work out the details of the car's chassis, assemble prototypes and manufacture the vehicles, but Lamborghini's financial position meant that BMW reassumed control over the project in April 1978, after seven prototypes were built. Only 456 production M1s were built, making it one of BMW's rarest models. The spirit of the M1 lived on in the first-generation M5, as both models shared the same (though slightly modified) engines.[3]
Though the car never saw a great deal of racing success, the M1 is remembered as a refined and civilized supercar in the true BMW tradition, with great handling and stellar build quality. In 2004, Sports Car International named the car number ten on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s.
[edit] 2008 BMW M1 Hommage Concept
In April 2008, BMW unveiled the Hommage Concept to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the M1. The concept vehicle uses a mid-engine layout and borrows styling cues from both the original M1 and the Turbo show car.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ BMW M1 (1978-1981) CAR HISTORY
- ^ BMW (E26) M1
- ^ bmw.de
- ^ David Gluckman (April 2008). 2008 BMW M1 Homage Concept. Automobile Magazine. Source Interlink Media, LLC.. Retrieved on 2008-04-29.
[edit] External links
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| Type | Series | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Microcar | Isetta 250 / 300 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Small family car | 600 | LS/700 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact exec | 3 Series | 340/340-2 | 1602/2002 | E21 | E30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Executive | 5 Series | 327 | 1500,1800,2000 | E12 | E28 | E34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luxury | 7 Series | 501/502 | E3 | E23 | E32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupé | 1600GT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Series | 503 | 3200 CS | 2000CS | E9 | E24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Roadster | Z Series | 507 | Z1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports car/GT | M1, 8 Series | E26 | E31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
