BMW has produced some genuinely extraordinary performance cars over the decades, but the M1 built between 1978 and 1981 remains something unique in the company’s history: its one and only true supercar. That distinction could eventually change, if the people running BMW M get their way.
During Le Mans weekend, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel and BMW M Head of Design Oliver Heilmer sat down with BMW Blog for a wide-ranging conversation lasting nearly 30 minutes. Much of the discussion centred on the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse, which is set to become the first fully electric M model BMW has ever built. That alone is a major milestone. But toward the end of the interview, a question submitted by the BMW community stopped everything in its tracks.
The Question That Said It All
The interviewer asked both men what dream car they would build if money were no object and approval was guaranteed for the following day. Heilmer did not hesitate. His answer was the M1. Van Meel immediately followed with the same response.
Van Meel went on to clarify that while he has a deep appreciation for the original, what he would really want is an entirely new interpretation of the M1 formula. That sentiment will resonate with most enthusiasts, who have been waiting decades for BMW to revisit its supercar heritage.
What a Modern M1 Might Look Like
A 21st century M1 would obviously be a very different machine to the original. Gone would be the naturally aspirated inline-six and the pop-up headlights that defined the E26. But different does not have to mean lesser. If anything, the technology available today could make a new M1 more compelling than ever.
Given BMW’s current direction, there is a reasonable chance any future M1 would draw from the Neue Klasse design language and incorporate some form of electrified powertrain. Whether that means a full EV or a hybrid setup remains to be seen, but either route could produce something genuinely special in the right hands.
This Is Not the First Hint
BMW has flirted with the idea of a new M1 before. Back in 2008, the company unveiled the M1 Homage concept at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este to mark the 30th anniversary of the original. Several styling cues from that concept eventually found their way into the production BMW i8, which itself nodded toward the M1’s mid-engined supercar spirit without quite replacing it.
The i8 was a remarkable car in its own right, but it was never positioned as a true M1 successor. That gap still exists, and it is clearly not lost on the people at the top of BMW M.
A Dream Worth Watching
For now, this remains firmly in the realm of wishful thinking. No programme has been announced and nothing official is on the table. But hearing the head of BMW M and his design chief both name the same dream car, without prompting, is the kind of signal worth paying attention to. Van Meel knows what it would take to make it happen. Whether the business case ever lines up with the desire is another question entirely.