Is BMW prepping an M1 redux?
It’s amazing that it took this long.
More than 30 years after the iconic original made young boys salivate, BMW appears to be readying a new M1 supercar.
The M1 should not be confused with the i8 concept sports car which uses lightweight materials, but also has a high-tech hybrid powertrain.
Instead, the M1 is likely to be powered by a conventional gasoline engine. While some have speculated that the M1 would use a straight six like the original, that is unlikely. Lately, BMW has favored twin-turbocharged V-8s producing more than 600 horsepower for its highest-performance.
In 2008 BMW showed the M1 Homage concept. Could the concept give a clue for the design direction for a modern M1?
“If the i8 is the world´s sportiest green car, then our new mid-engine two-seater needs to be the greenest sports car,” a BMW insider told Automobile magazine.
The car is likely to play on M1 design themes, so could it look like the M1 Homage concept that BMW showed at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2008?
BMW plans to showcase many lightweighting technologies, including carbon fiber, aluminum as well as magnesium, titanium and high-strength steel. BMW could make the M1 a showcase for its weight-saving technology, an area it has invested in heavily in recent years. With an unofficial target weight of 2,750 pounds, the M1 could undercut severely such notable competitors as the Porsche 911 Carrera S, McLaren MP4-12C and the Lexus LFA.
The M1 could also be a testbed for numerous aerodynamic tricks including adjustable flaps, morphing air deflectors, a smooth underbody, air curtains and a windshield design that eliminates the need for wipers. The aero tricks could mean the equivalent of adding 100 horsepower to the engine.
If BMW’s M division can sell the BMW board on the concept, expect to see the two-seat coupe in showrooms in 2016, with a convertible version following within two years.