Development for Group 4 and Group 5 competition began in 1976. Giorgetto Giugiaro and Italdesign were responsible for the styling, while the unfamiliar mid-engine chassis layout was developed and manufactured by Lamborghini under Gianpaolo Dallara’s direction. A running prototype emerged in 1977, but production efficiency never improved. The Lamborghini partnership was dissolved, output slowed even further, and BMW stood no chance of meeting the Group 4 requirement of producing 400 cars within 24 consecutive months. With racing entry in jeopardy, BMW conceived the one-make Procar Series. Held in 1979 and 1980 as support races for Formula One Grands Prix, Procar featured the five fastest F1 drivers from Friday practice alongside leading privateers and well-known racers. It proved both a sensation and a commercial success, with Niki Lauda taking the 1979 title and Nelson Piquet winning in 1980. The M1 also competed in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, most famously as the Andy Warhol–painted Art Car, finishing sixth overall and second in class.

This example is a genuine BMW M1 Procar equipped with official DMSB and FIA documentation. Wearing the same M-stripes livery as the cars driven by Formula One stars, it survived in extraordinary condition because it served as a race support vehicle and was never used in competition. The engine has been successfully started, and the heartbeat of this machine still lives on today. In the M1, the worlds of Giugiaro, Dallara, BMW M, Formula One, endurance racing, and contemporary art converged at their peak. This is not merely a collector’s item—it is an opportunity to acquire the very pinnacle of BMW Motorsport.