“BMW M1 Homage”
In a nod to the 30th anniversary of the fabled BMW M1 supercar,
BMW Group Design just launched a new concept car that acts as a homage to it
— and that’s also what they named it. At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2008 this week,
the company debuted the BMW M1 Homage, which they call a “design study
in the tradition of a BMW Turbo that represents a contemporary take
on the BMW M1 and the mid-engine concept.”
The concept’s Liquid Orange paint is meant as a tribute to the original car’s color, The air vents in the hood,
the twin rear badges, the rear window louvers, and the black cutline that separates the roofline from the rear of the car
are also details that made it into the new version. The dimensions are mostly the same as the original except for an
extended wheelbase for more interior room. The headlights almost disappear into the car when closed, as a kind of new
iteration of the long-since-gone retractable lamps of old (which the M1 had, along with Porsche 944s,
Pontiac Firebirds, and countless other sports cars of the era).
There’s no word on anything underneath the skin, but let’s hope they decide to build it. After all, the
original BMW M1 began life as a show car, before entering production in a joint bid with Lamborghini
to build enough race cars for homologation purposes.
Gotcha - BMW M1
The lads in Munich must be absolutely fuming at the moment. In absolute shock, it appears that BMW has completed development of a new supercar in the mould of their legendary M1 completely undetected. Yet, when they least expected it, someone has gotten behind enemy lines and snapped an undisguised supercar appearing seemingly production-ready. Not only is the car completely unexpected, but the coupe snapped here shows more than a little of a resemblence to the legendary M1 supercar of the 1970s.
What’s more, the timing of this discovery is significant. BMW only just revealed a spiritual M1-like showcar a few weeks back, a concept which raised more questions than it answered. This particular car, spotted in an aircraft hanger in Spain, appears to closely follow the lines and proportions of both the showcar and the 30 year-old classic. Surely this confirms that the showcar was a teaser for a new BMW supercar? Getting the vibe for such a car? What’s certain is that the photo is genuine. No amount of photoshop work could produce an image as consistent as this. The depth of the headlights, the shadows and contours of light over the body, and the relationship the car has with the background is solid and convincing.
BMW has remained typically silent about the photo, which, to be honest, is quite understandable. While it’s incredible news that BMW is about to take the R8 and 911 head on with a stunning modern-day M1, you’d have to feel for the team behind this project. They’ve gone all this way without hinting suspicion, only for their massive suprise to be totally destroyed on the eve of their big moment. They must be gutted…
Yet while BMW learns to deal with their big surprise being fumbled, the rest of us are now eagerly anticipating the arrive of this mysterious supercar, which will give the Bavarians an undeniably potent weapon in the rejuvinated supercar game.
