One of the most historically significant BMW M1s ever built is set to change hands, with a 1980 example tied directly to Formula One legend Niki Lauda heading to auction in mid-January. The car was awarded to Lauda following his victory in the inaugural 1979 BMW M1 Procar Championship, a short-lived but influential racing series that played a major role in establishing the M1’s reputation.
The BMW M1 occupies a unique place in automotive history as the brand’s first and only mid-engined supercar of its era. Developed to meet homologation requirements for Group 5 racing, the M1 combined German engineering with extensive Italian involvement. Giorgetto Giugiaro was responsible for the wedge-shaped body design, while chassis development was handled by Gianpaolo Dallara. Powertrain engineering came from BMW Motorsport, which was still in its early years at the time.
Production of the M1 became famously complex after Lamborghini, initially tasked with manufacturing responsibilities, encountered financial difficulties. BMW reorganized assembly across multiple European suppliers, with frames built in Modena, fiberglass bodies produced separately, body assembly and interiors completed in Turin, final assembly handled in Stuttgart, and inspection and delivery finalized in Munich. This fragmented process limited production to just 453 units.
Road-going M1s were powered by the M88/1 3.5-liter inline-six engine featuring mechanical fuel injection, individual throttle bodies, and dry-sump lubrication. Output was rated at approximately 277 horsepower, paired with a ZF five-speed manual transaxle. The steel spaceframe chassis and double-wishbone suspension contributed to balanced handling that rivaled contemporary offerings from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche.
Delays meant the M1 arrived too late for BMW’s original Group 5 ambitions. To keep the car relevant in motorsport, BMW launched the M1 Procar Championship, run as a Formula One support series in 1979 and 1980. Specially prepared M1s produced around 470 horsepower and were driven by leading F1 competitors of the era.
The Lauda-owned M1 features distinctive Motorsport tri-color striping, a Procar-style front air dam, and a signature from Walter Maurer. The odometer shows 20,350 kilometers, or roughly 12,645 miles. Scheduled to cross the Mecum auction block in mid-January, the car represents a rare intersection of BMW engineering, Formula One history, and one of the brand’s most ambitious road cars.
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