The BMW M1 is a unique car in the history of BMW Motorsports, and was the first production car of BMW's newly established Motorsport division. This implies that they put significant effort into making this car. The euphoria was at its pinnacle, and expectations were great, with BMW presenting it as a Procar Championship contender. They wanted it to replace the 3.0 CSL race car and compete with Porsche, the racing beasts of Group 5.

BMW began the production of its M1 in 1975. They employed several others to build the car while focusing on its engine. Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign got to work on the M1's aesthetics, while Lamborghini handled its chassis. Despite the effort put into this car, its production encountered several setbacks.

Related: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The BMW M1

A Brief History Of The M1's Setbacks

BMW-M1-1979-Up Close
Via: Netcarshow

The first setback the M1 suffered was due to changes in Group 5 racing rules. The German automotive giant changed its mind, deciding to construct the M1 for Group 4 racing instead. However, it had to meet some criteria before joining Group 4 racing. First, BMW had to produce 400 units of the M1's road-going versions. While this happened, there was a production halt due to Lamborghini's financial difficulties. BMW then had to bring in Marchesi for a tube chassis.

Finally, the M1 made its debut in 1978, and sales commenced the following year. By the time the M1 launched in 1979, Group 4 regulations got reconsidered, so cars moved away from homologation back to the construction of prototypes. This made the release of the M1 less enthusiastic, and this sports car was now left without a purpose. Let's take a look at the GmbH's first sports car.

The Shortcomings Of The BMW M1

BMW-M1-1979-Motorsport
Via: Netcarshow

When the M1 debuted, there were a lot of criticisms. One of these was its high drag coefficient of 0.40. Since a high drag coefficient reduces fuel economy, this translated to more fuel consumption. Fuel economy should not be the priority of a sports car, but clean airflow should — hence, the use of downforce, spoilers and cooling vents. However, this affected the road-going versions of the cars as well, as you would have less to save and more money to spend on fuel if you got an M1.

The interior of the M1 is relatively small, which was another issue, and the front seats were unable to recline all the way, making it uncomfortable for taller drivers. The interior was also plain, with a basic dash layout and a simple design.

The major problem, however, was that the M1 was expensive. The M1's starting price when it launched in Europe equated to a staggering $43,860. People considered this excessive because it was more expensive than its rivals.

How Sporty Was The BMW M1?

BMW-M1-red-supercar parked in front of mountains side view
via BMW

The M1 has some drawbacks but also some appealing aspects — one of which is the magnificent design. Giorgetto Giugiaro's fluid lines and eye-catching wedge shape successfully combined sportiness with beauty. He finished the design by replacing the back glass with black slats and adding flat kidney grilles. Pop-up headlamps were pretty popular back then, so the M1 got one.

The race car also got a larger spoiler and mud aprons to make it look more aggressive. In addition, BMW achieved a low center of gravity on its M1 with a height of 1.14 meters, which aided in balancing.

The road-going version of the M1 was the fastest sports car in Germany at that time. It was also BMW's first mid-engine, and the 3.5-liter engine produced 277 hp. It had an acceleration of 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 265 hp with a five-speed manual transmission that sent power to its rear wheels.

The M1's road version and race car share a lot of similarities in terms of style, but their performances are very different. It had an M88 DOHC inline-six-cylinder engine that pushed out 500 hp and achieved 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. With this, the M1 was set to compete. Unfortunately, the M1 was too heavy, weighing in at around 3,175 lbs, which would be acceptable for a road car. However, its weight was a significant hindrance in the world of racing.

Related: Stunning BMW M1 Is A Work Of Art On Huge Rotiform Wheels

The Present Cost Of A BMW M1

1972 Mid-Engined BMW Turbo Concept Car
via: BMW

For many years, the M1 was surprisingly undervalued. However, people are warming up to other facts about it, such as its sleek design, powerful engine, and durability.

BMW built the M1 with quality materials and thanks to this, many M1s still run today as much as they did in 1979. The majority of these cars remain today. Unfortunately, the best of them get auctioned off at outrageous prices, while others sell for an average of $100,000, depending on their condition and mileage.