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Profile BMW M1 Profile BMW M3

BMW M3 The M3 was derived from the BMW 3 Series E 30 range
introduced in 1982 and marked the dazzling start of an
extraordinary success story which continues undimin-
The sporty success formula. ished to this day.
The M3 unveiled in Mugello in 1986 was the latest,
emphatically sporty, top-of-the-line BMW 3 Series
model. This street sports car boasted a 195 bhp/143 kW
With the M3 BMW finally made the economic breakthrough with its engine (200 bhp/147 kW without a catalytic converter)
ultra-sporty models. The 5,000 units required for homologation pur- with a cylinder head featuring four-valve technology. Its
poses were easily sold, encouraging BMW to produce more and body sported muscular flared wheel arches, door sills
more M3-based versions, some in very limited editions. and a front and rear apron. It was in every way geared to

The BMW M1 has remained unforgotten in motor racing, particularly for its involvement in the Procar racing series that was conceived for this
model and contested by Formula One drivers in identical models.

But the “tuning” job turned out to be far Paris Motor Show in October 1978 cre- Procar racing series specially devised
more extensive than anticipated. Only ated a stir among fans of high-calibre for the M1. In early February 1981, final-
the cylinder block could be taken over sports cars, but it wasn’t until February ly, the last two M1 models out of a total
from the production engine. A divided 1979 that the first customer was able to production run of 456 – including the
cylinder head with four-valve technology take delivery of his BMW M1. All those race versions – were completed at the
had to be developed from scratch. involved in Project E 26 had succeeded Baur assembly plant. Uniquely in the
Furthermore, the new engine – named in creating a highly impressive sports history of the brand, each M1 displayed
the M 88 – was given a Kugelfischer car. Even when parked, the M1 emanat- three BMW logos – symbolizing the
mechanical fuel injection system and ed supreme dynamism. Less than six utterly unique status of this tamed driv-
dry sump lubrication. The final result seconds for the standstill to 100 km/h ing machine.
was 277 bhp/204 kW for the street ver- sprint and barely more than 20 seconds
sion. from 0 to 200 km/h were figures
But the joint venture with matched by no more than a handful of
Lamborghini ran into problems, and new cars worldwide. The suspension sys- BMW M1 (production model)
partners had to be sought. One of these tem, designed with the 470 bhp Group 4
was BMW’s longstanding collaborator M1 models in mind, coped easily with No. of units 399 (1978 – 1981)
Baur, who had developed a number of the kind of braking, acceleration and lat-
special models for BMW at their premis- eral acceleration forces associated with Original price 113,000 marks
es outside Stuttgart. With their custom- the race track. Steering was commen- Engine six-cylinder in-line
ary meticulousness, the Swabians surately high-geared and had no servo
implanted the “heart” into the new assistance in the interests of improved Capacity 3,453 cc
sports car in the shape of the power unit road grip. Yet the M1 driver did not have
supplied by BMW Motorsport. The to forgo comfort features such as air Bore x stroke 93,4 x 84 mm
brakes, wheel suspensions, pedals, conditioning, electric window lifts and a
steering column and all the other com- steering wheel with axial adjustment. Output 277 bhp at 6,500 rpm
ponents were similarly installed by Baur. The cost of the street version was
Only after painstaking fine-tuning, align- 113,000 deutschmarks. Transmission five-speed stick shift
ment and test drives were the complet- Yet the high hopes placed in the rac-
ed M1 models delivered to BMW ing career of the M1 would be only par- Brakes disc brakes
Motorsport, where they underwent a tially fulfilled. Too much time had been
final inspection before being taken to a spent on development work, making it Weight 1,300 kg
special showroom ready to be present- impossible to keep within schedule for
ed to their customers. Group 4 homologation. But what Top speed 262 km/h
The official debut of the M1 at the remained for the public to enjoy was the

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