A 3,453 cc (3.5 L) M88/1 petrol six-cylinder engine with Kugelfischer-Bosch mechanical fuel injection and a Magneti-Marelli ignition system powers the BMW M1, the first vehicle exclusively built by BMW M. Paul Rosche, who previously created the S14 inline-4 engine and the S70/2 V12 engine, was in charge of creating the engine. Later, this engine was employed in the E24 M6/M635CSi and E28 M5, as well as the South African 745i, of which 209 units were produced between 1984 and 1986. The car’s highest speed is 265 km/h thanks to the engine’s six distinct throttle bodies, twin cams, and four valves per cylinder, which produce 277 PS (204 kW; 273 horsepower) at 6,500 rpm and 330 Nm (243 lbft) of torque at 5,000 rpm in the road version (165 mph). The engine was connected to a ZF Friedrichshafen 5-speed manual transmission with a 40% locking limited slip differential.
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finest ever?
Is the BMW 1 Series M Coupe the best M vehicle ever when all the information is gathered? It is hardly surprising that the BMW 1M is in such high demand in a world where automobiles are getting bigger, more constrained, and adopting more autonomous features.
But BMW has produced several storied M vehicles. Some people would argue that the E30 M3 and M1 Supercar are the best. The BMW 1M is unquestionably one of the best and will continue to be in high demand, that much is clear.
It’s also important to note that the name of the BMW 1M is slightly flipped. Why doesn’t it have the same name as its siblings, the M2, M3, etc.? Since the BMW M1 supercar was the very first BMW M vehicle, it was only fitting to give this vehicle a somewhat distinct moniker.
BMW: New M2 and M2 CS to replace the M1 super hatch
So where is the full-fat 400 horsepower+ version of the new 1 Series, the BMW M1? What vehicle will compete with the new Mercedes-AMG A45? That’s right—not it’s here. And it won’t arrive. But don’t worry; BMW believes it has a better solution.
The M135i xDrive, an all-wheel-driver with 306 horsepower, is the highest model of the 1 Series. Not frantic, just enjoyable. Compare that vehicle to the Mercedes A35, Audi S3, and Golf R. Then, neither A45 nor RS3 material. But it will continue to be the best 1 Series for some time.
Given that a six-cylinder engine cannot be installed transversely, I questioned Marcus Flasch, head of BMW M, about the possibility of creating a full-M version of the 1 Series. “The M135i is thrilling, but a high-performance 1 Series is not planned,”
The important thing is that we already know BMW will introduce a new 2 Series two-door coupe. That will have rear-drive. As BMW personnel are fond of saying, “The 2 Series coupe is our drift machine.” It won’t change.
The Supercar We Never Got: Beautiful BMW M1 Concept Rendering
The M1 was the first and only (as of this writing) dedicated M automobile, and it came six years after the 1972 BMW Turbo concept. The M1 Homage concept debuted in 2008 to commemorate the 30th birthday of the eponymous supercar, but tragically it was never put into production. We will actually be receiving a new M-only vehicle before the year is up. Although devotees would have preferred a mid-engined coupe, it will instead take the form of a sizable SUV, making it the heaviest vehicle BMW has ever produced.
BMW did tease us with the Vision M Next about three years ago, but due to exorbitant development costs, it never materialized as a production car. In a different reality, BMW M would have turned 50 by producing a real supercar. The enchanted M1 has been envisioned by independent artist hycade as a low-slung coupe with the engine behind the seats. The imaginary sports vehicle, which is faithful to its origin, has two roundels at the back and retro-chic louvers on its long hood, which houses what we can only assume is a V8 engine.
By adding a manual gearbox, more power, and throwback appearance to the newly released M4 CSL, BMW is preparing a contemporary reincarnation of the 3.0 CSL. At the end of the day, that still doesn’t make it a custom M automobile on par with the M1, but it’s something to commemorate M’s 50th anniversary. The sun may have already set on an ICE-powered supercar with the amount of money being thrown into electrification to futureproof the company’s portfolio.
Someone needs to make this depiction into an aftermarket body for the M4 or M8, whichever coupe has the better proportions for the svelte style, in order to create this possible M1.
1978-1981 BMW M1
While the 6 Series was being developed, engineers were quietly working on the creation of the BMW M1, a remarkable sports car that became a global sensation in 1978. The BMW Motorsport GmbH’s first creation was this high-performance coupe. The M1 was introduced in 1979 as a component of the ProCar Series, which had been designed specifically for this vehicle, as part of the European Formula 1 racing season.
A large straight-six engine with a 3.5 liter displacement was used to power the mid-engined vehicle. The 277 bhp maximum power was delivered to the rear axle by the road version’s power unit, which was longitudinally placed in front of the axle. The M1 had an air of better dynamics even at a stop. The sprint from 0100 km/h (062 mph) took less than 6 seconds, and the sprint from 0200 km/h (0124 mph) took just 20 seconds. At the time, only a small number of cars worldwide could achieve these acceleration rates. The layout of the suspension, which had been modified to meet the needs of the Group 4 M1 with a top speed of 470 mph, allowed it to readily handle the deceleration, acceleration, and lateral acceleration rates typical of racing.
Even though the M1 was the pinnacle of sports cars, the driver and co-driver didn’t sacrifice the convenience of comfortable transportation. Even though the suspension’s springs were quite firm, the occupants weren’t put through undue strain on uneven roads because to the suspension’s high level of shock absorption. The square steel profile tubular space frame with bonded and riveted plastic body shell provided excellent protection for the occupants.
The resistance to torsion was superb. There was space in the boot underneath the front lid for two people’s weekend-trip-related luggage. Even the benefits of automatic climate control were available to passengers.
The BMW M1, the first BMW “M” vehicle that Lamborghini almost produced
BMW developed the M1 in an effort to defeat Porsche’s fellow German competitors in Group 5 racing. With the understanding that the Porsche 935 would be hard to defeat with any of the vehicles BMW had in production at the time, they sought Lamborghini to work with them on a mid-engined supercar that could destroy the 935 and return the roundel to the front of the grid.
The car was originally supposed to be built by Lamborghini, but at the time the Italian automaker’s finances were a little precarious. Early M1 prototypes were constructed at Lamborghini using a Gianpaolo Dallara-developed tubular steel space frame chassis and a Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed body.
A group of former Lamborghini engineers founded a business named Italengineering and volunteered to continue working on the vehicle once the partnership with Lamborghini broke down. BMW agreed, and the M1’s development cycle continued in Italy, approximately ten kilometers from Lamborghini’s headquarters.
The M1 would be the company’s first mid-engined production vehicle, and it would hold that distinction for decades until the 2014 debut of the BMW i8. Giugiaro based the M1 on Paul Bracq’s earlier 1972 BMW Turbo concept car, adding his own distinctive flair to create a vehicle that was indisputably a product of its time.
The M1 project’s primary goal has been motorsport from the beginning, so the car’s every feature has been developed with the racetrack in mind. A BMW M88 3.5-liter inline-six cylinder engine was longitudinally positioned behind the driver and passenger on the strong tubular steel space frame chassis.
The M88 engine, designed by BMW legend Paul Rosche, has four valves per cylinder that are controlled by double overhead cams. Six separate throttle bodies are used to supply enough air into the alloy head’s iron block to support its 3453cc sweeping capacity.
This engine was created in a few different iterations, including the M88/1, M88/2, and M88/3. The road-legal version that was installed in the standard M1 could produce 273 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 243 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm, but the Procar version was capable of producing over 450 hp when it was in race trim.
Above Image: The interior offered cozy quarters for two people and included contemporary conveniences like electric windows, air conditioning, and a stereo.
The M1’s suspension consists of double wishbones with adjustable coil springs and Bilstein shock absorbers up front and down back. Rack and pinion steering was employed, and vented disc brakes measuring 300mm up front and 297mm in the rear were installed on the vehicle.
Unsurprisingly, a 5-speed manual transmission was used, and despite the fairly cramped inside, two people could fit inside without difficulty thanks to amenities like motorized windows, a stereo, and air conditioning.
Just 455 BMW M1s were made during the model’s production lifespan from 1978 to 1981, 56 of which were race cars not meant for public roads. The M1 is now recognized as the German automaker’s first foray into mid-engined vehicles, and the sound of the M88 six singing over your right shoulder is enough to win anyone over as a lifelong devotee.
Will BMW produce the M1?
A long-awaited replacement for the 41-year-old M1 supercar is being developed by BMW’s M performance car division.
The cutting-edge carbonfibre-bodied coupe, which was previewed by the Vision M Next, is scheduled to go on sale at the start of the next decade. When asked about the likelihood of its manufacturing, BMW’s chief of development Klaus Frohlich responded, “We deliver on what we promise.” A new 591bhp plug-in petrol-electric drivetrain will be debuted with the Vision M Next and is expected to power more traditional, future M models.
The new high-performance driveline is a component of a drivetrain electrification program being oversaw by Markus Flasch, the new CEO of BMW M. It produces significantly more power than the BMW i8’s driveline. The company’s “Strategy One Next” project, which intends to bring up to 25 electrified BMW models on sale by 2025, will be led by the Vision M Next.
When was the BMW M1 released?
40 years of the BMW M1.
An illustration of the BMW M1, a legendary sports automobile.
12. Mar 2018
The M1 is a remarkable car that, in addition to being one of the most well-known sports cars of the 1970s, molded BMW M unlike any other. The BMW M1, which made its debut in 1978 and boasted a potent 6-cylinder in-line engine and a memorable moniker, quickly rose to prominence in the automobile industry. One could even say that it surpassed all expectations and established itself as an automobile classic. Its classic style and pure racing technology established a spell on auto enthusiasts four decades ago, and they continue to do so now.
How many BMW M1s were produced?
With race vehicles included, BMW produced about 450 M1s, with little under 400 being used on the road. The vast majority of these vehicles, if not all of them, are still believed to be in use.