A late-production 1980 BMW M1 has surfaced for sale with an asking price of $666,000, drawing attention to one of BMW Motorsport’s most significant and elusive road cars. Registered on Dec. 29, 1980, the UK-registered example is described as among the final cars produced before M1 manufacturing concluded. It shows 39,500 kilometers and is finished in Nachtblau, a color applied to a limited number of road cars.
The car was originally delivered through BMW’s main concessionaires in Kontich, Belgium, before beginning a long and well-documented international history. According to accompanying research, its first registration was to SA Multi European Associates in 1980, believed to be a leasing firm, suggesting early use as a company vehicle. Ownership later passed through several hands, including a period in Quebec, Canada, before the car returned to Europe and was ultimately based in Switzerland.
For 27 years, the M1 resided with a collector who displayed it in a private museum and used it sparingly, often under special collector registration. More recently, Hero Motor Company has held the car for 15 years, describing it as the centerpiece of its collection. The vehicle is now being offered largely in factory specification, with the exception of half-leather Motorsport seats, described as a period upgrade.
The exterior wears Nachtblau gloss paint, a finish applied to just 59 road-going M1s and two race cars. Inside, the car features a Black leather and Grey cloth interior consistent with original specifications. The listing notes the presence of extensive original materials, including service books, workshop manual, tool kit, first aid kit, radio with manual, and period BMW sales literature. That documentation includes a luggage brochure, upholstery brochure, and a 1980 Motorsport accessory catalog.
The sale also highlights the unusual market position of the M1 in period. The model was never officially sold in the United Kingdom, though UK buyers were able to acquire cars through BMW Motorsport and import them privately. Period taxes significantly inflated the effective purchase price, placing the car among the most expensive road vehicles of its era.
Listed at £495,000, the M1 reflects how the market values more than performance alone. Originality, completeness, documented ownership history, and rare specifications continue to shape pricing for one of BMW’s most important production cars.
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