A highly significant BMW M1 linked directly to Formula One legend Niki Lauda is scheduled to cross the auction block, drawing renewed attention to one of the most unusual and influential projects in BMW’s history. The car, built in 1980, was produced specifically for Lauda following his victory in the inaugural 1979 BMW M1 Procar Championship, a short-lived but globally visible racing series tied closely to Formula One.
The BMW M1 marked the German automaker’s first mid-engined production car and was developed to satisfy homologation requirements for Group 5 racing. Unlike most BMWs of the era, the M1 was the result of an international collaboration. Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the sharp-edged body, Gianpaolo Dallara engineered the chassis, and BMW Motorsport developed the engine. Financial troubles at Lamborghini, originally tasked with production support, forced BMW to restructure the program across several European suppliers, resulting in a fragmented and costly manufacturing process.
That complexity limited total production to just 453 cars. Each M1 used a tubular steel spaceframe clothed in a fiberglass body, with final assembly spanning Italy, Germany and ultimately BMW Motorsport in Munich. Power came from the M88/1 3.5-liter inline-six, featuring mechanical fuel injection, individual throttle bodies and dry-sump lubrication. In road form, the engine produced approximately 277 horsepower and was paired with a ZF five-speed manual transaxle driving the rear wheels.
Although originally intended for Group 5 competition, shifting regulations diminished the M1’s viability as a factory-backed race car. In response, BMW launched the M1 Procar Championship, a one-make series run alongside Formula One events in 1979 and 1980. Specially prepared Procar M1s produced roughly 470 horsepower and were driven by leading F1 drivers of the era, cementing the model’s reputation with a global audience.
The example built for Lauda stands among the most collectible M1s ever produced. It features hand-painted Motorsport tri-color striping, a Procar-style front air dam and a low recorded mileage of 20,350 kilometers. Signed by Walter Maurer, the car represents both BMW’s motorsport ambitions and the legacy of one of Formula One’s most accomplished drivers.
The car is scheduled to be offered for sale by Mecum in mid-January, presenting collectors with a rare opportunity to acquire a landmark piece of BMW and Formula One history.
