Old BMWs earn a second chance, especially if the car in question has its engine behind the driver. With only 453 units that have ever been built, the M1 is exceptionally rare, which makes every surviving example a valuable treasure that has been preserved. This white E28-based supercar had a bright life because it was involved in an accident in 2013 during the Concorso d’Elanza Villa d’Este. But don’t worry, BMW Classic is here to save the day. It rolls up the sleeves to bring Bavaria’s individual super sports car back to life.
This is not the first nut and bolt restoration of the German luxury brand in recent years. The Kith founder Ronnie Fieg had completely restored his own M1 from BMW Classic expert, a project that lasted about a year and proves itself This perfection takes time. We are sure that the team is just as meticulously with this destroyed example, one of only 163 in white. It is also more of a road legal version than one of the Procars only for routes.
A time-lapse video shows that BMW Classic has already slimmed down the M1 and removed its M88 engine. This handmade, naturally sucked up 3.5-liter inline-six sits between the axes of the super sports car with fiber optic coat. It is still a diamond in the rough, but the engine will roar again, and these pop-up headlights will increase sooner than later.
It would make sense to bring the completely restored M1 back to the Concorso d’Elanza Villa d’Este. It remains to be seen whether it will be ready for the event next year. The M1 will be 50 in 2028 and we are confident that the car will be finished long before the car. The roots actually go back even further when you consider that BMW introduced the turbo concept that inspired it six years earlier.
BMW Classic continues to produce parts for the M1, with some kept in stock and others were built on order. In view of the importance of this specific car and the desire of BMW to appear again 12 years ago after the unfortunate crash during this “landscape drive”, this is probably a top priority. We will keep an eye on the restoration, which should lead to something as spectacular as Ronnie Fiegs Techno Violet M1.
Source: BMW Classic / Instagram
