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BMW M1 - €Auction

11th May 2024 - RM Sotheby's - Monaco
Estimate From: €400,000
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To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Monaco event, 10 - 11 May 2024.
Offered Without Reserve | €400,000 - €500,000 EUR

  • The genesis of the BMW M division’s long-lasting road car legacy
  • One of only 399 examples of the road-going BMW M1
  • Retains its matching-numbers 3.5-litre inline-six engine
  • Originally finished in Blau over a Schwarz interior, now presented in the attractive shade of Brillantrot


The famous BMW roundel has led the field in many disciplines of motorsport, and the Munich marque’s motivation to build the M1 was born out of its competitive endeavours. By the end of the 1970s, its CSL cars were losing an edge against Porsche’s new 935, and BMW needed a mid-engined chassis to fit its twin-cam 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine. BMW’s Motorsport division first contacted Lamborghini for help needed but by April 1978 the project had been taken in house. The wedge design was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and built in Italy along with the chassis, prior to final assembly taking place at Karosserie Baur in Stuttgart. The resulting product—badged as the BMW M1, and sold from 1978 to 1981—is widely coveted to this day as a rare piece of BMW history.

The example offered here was completed by the factory on 9 October 1980 and delivered to BMW France S.A. four days later. Originally finished in Blau over a Schwarz interior, the M1 now presents in Brillantrot with a black leather interior. The BMW is understood to have been exported to the United States at an unknown point, where it is likely to have been fitted with an odometer displaying in miles, which is currently fitted. After returning to Europe, the BMW was exported to Singapore in March 2011, where it has remained until returning to Europe to be offered at auction. According to factory data, this M1 retains its matching-numbers engine. Bidders should note that at the time of cataloguing, the speedometer was not working so the odometer reading cannot be verified.

A legend of BMW design and performance, enthusiasts of the marque need look no further than RM Sotheby’s auction in Munich—the home of BMW—for the opportunity to acquire this attractively presented M1.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mc24.

  • 0 Miles
  • Transmission 69197354786223e29b85070a0695cc247a4c2b215c743673c2d02e864b4cd687 N/A
  • Steering ca68a9643bbb915d30839040f432af59e679db8cf98e23a4378cbef2ed805059 RHD
  • RefCode: 2FE9C92D-7362-6178-AC72-DD6A4600E3CD