The Sexiest New Car Is Probably This 1981 BMW M1

Photography Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Giorgetto Giugiaro’s lines are usually perfect, and on the six-cylinder, mid-engined BMW M1, the smaller proportions of the German exotic have aged so well that they were aped for the company’s latest i8 hybrid sports car.

But what if you want a new M1, not a new i8? As painful as it is to imagine a BMW M1 that’s sat largely unloved since 1981, you’re looking at one. At just 682 km on the clock, it might even be a good idea to see if BMW will honor its original warranty…

The tale of this sports car is one of shipping containers, business deals, dealerships, and warehouses. It knows nothing of the changes to Germany’s Hockenheim race track, of YouTube, or its status as a modern classic. After being acquired by the consignor after what’s said to be 25 years of begging, it was recently-serviced using genuine parts, ensuring it should be as new as a 1981 can be in 2015.

RM Sotheby’s has the difficult task of estimating the value of such a rarity, and so this Arctic White M1 has an estimate in excess of $800,000. Is that too much? Well, what’s it worth to you to crack the throttle on this time capsule and hit the open road?

History
– None to speak of, which is the attraction here

Specifications
~277 horsepower, 3,453-cc M88 DOHC inline six-cylinder engine with Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection, five-speed manual transmission, front and rear dual A-arm independent suspension with coil springs, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 100.8 in.

Vehicle information
Chassis no. WBS59910004301426
Engine no. M88-503

Valuation
Auction house: RM Sotheby’s
Estimate: $800,000 – $1 million Usd.
Price realized: TBD; Auction on December 10