1980 BMW E26 M1 Sports Coupe

The M1 is BMW's first mid-engine sports car. Built in 1979 and 1980 this was the first BMW super car capable of rivaling the strongest Ferrari and Porsche. Group 5 is the highest category of GT racing of the day. The M1 Group 5 racer, with a twin-turbo 3.2-liter engine develops an astonishing 850 horsepower. The M1 Group 5 is noted for being competitive in the 1980 48 Hours of LeMans.

Group 5 regulations required the building of 400 cars. As BMW did not have the facilities or the expertise, they subcontracted the assembly to Lamborghini in Italy. The glassfiber body has an exterior design by Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro.

This is one of 45 cars BMW built in PROCAR configuration. It was first raced in Nurburgring livery, then Marlboro livery with Hans-Joachim Stuck at the wheel. It finished 3rd overall and 1st in class at the 1980 Nurburgring 1000. It finished 15th at the 1980 24 Hours of LeMans. In mid-1980, it was acquired by BMW of North America. It raced at the Watkins Glen 600 with David Hobbs and Hans-Joachim Stuck driving in Marlboro livery. It was converted to Kenwood Stereo livery, and Group 5 bodywork and raced in the United States primarily with David Hobbs as the driver. However, Stuck joined Hobbs at the 1981 Molson 1000 where the car ran strong but faded late due to a gearbox problem and was then retired from professional racing. It has a six-cylinder engine with 3.5-liter displacing, producing 485 horsepower.