It’s been a while since BMW last provided an update on the M1’s restoration. The car in question is a white E26 that crashed in 2013 during the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. A new Instagram post reveals the mid-engine supercar has now been stripped down to its bare metal, well, fiberglass.
Legendary artist Walter Maurer is lending a helping hand to BMW, resulting in a creation that will be nothing short of exquisite. The 82-year-old Art Car collaborator knows a thing or two about the M1, having painted several Procars in the early 1980s. Some road-going examples also bear his signature.
This isn’t BMW Classic’s first rodeo with reviving an M1. Ronnie Fieg’s Techno Violet example took a full year to complete. Like the current work-in-progress, it’s one of the 399 road cars built. These wedge-shaped, street-legal coupes were assembled between 1978 and 1981, with 54 Procar-spec race versions produced during the same period.
The restoration goes well beyond refreshing the Giugiaro-designed body’s paint and lacquer. BMW is also overhauling the M1’s internals, including its beating heart. The naturally aspirated 3.5-liter inline-six codenamed “M88″ is receiving the full BMW Classic treatment. Back in the day, it delivered 273 hp and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft) to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. With a top speed of 165 mph (265 km/h), it was the fastest German road car of its day.
Disassembling one of the 163 white cars provides the perfect opportunity to restore every nut and bolt. The finished product should match the quality of the original Baur-assembled car. How long will it take? Since work began back in February, it’s unlikely the M1 will be completed before sometime in 2026.
Two years later, BMW will celebrate the supercar’s 50th anniversary. For its 30th birthday, the M1 was honored with the Hommage concept in 2008. However, the planned production version, intended to feature a V10, never materialized. Will there be at least another concept in 2028? Only BMW knows. Either way, don’t expect a spiritual successor anytime soon, as M boss Frank van Meel recently told us it’s not a priority.
Source: BMW Classic / Instagram
