The M1 is BMW’s first mid-engined supercar and arguably the pinnacle of its motorsport heritage. Yet even within that rarefied lineage, one example stands above the rest: the 1980 M1 built for, and previously owned by, three-time Formula 1 World Champion Niki Lauda.
Created as Lauda’s trophy for winning the 1979 BMW M1 Procar series, this car occupies a unique space where motorsport history and automotive art converge. One of just 399 road-going M1s produced during the model’s brief two-and-a-half-year run, it retains Giorgetto Giugiaro’s original wedge design while incorporating a number of Procar-spec cues, including a deeper front air dam and race-inspired rear louvres.
Under its rear deck sits BMW’s legendary M88/1 3.5-litre straight-six, an engineering showpiece with twin overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, individual throttle bodies, and Bosch Motronic injection. Producing 266 hp and paired with a ZF five-speed manual gearbox, the engine gave the M1 genuine supercar pace for its era.
Another distinguishing feature of this M1 is the BMW Motorsport tri-colour striping, hand-painted and signed by German designer and artist Walter Maurer, making it officially recognised as a BMW Art Car. The odometer shows just 20,350 km, and the car still wears its white Campagnolo wheels and blue leather interior, complete with a period Becker Europa stereo.
Imported to the United States in 1987, it remains one of the most desirable M1s in existence. Now offered through Mecum’s Kissimmee 2026 auction on 17 January, with an estimate of US$625,000 to US$675,000, it represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire a BMW that is both motorsport artefact and art piece.
