M1 ready to return?

By Jack Rix

07th May 2008

It’s a blast from the past for BMW! This stunning concept has been built as a tribute to the 1978 M1 – the firm’s first and only true supercar.

To celebrate the Seventies model’s 30th anniversary, BMW unveiled the sleek Homage at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy – one of Europe’s most exclusive motoring events. The styling is packed full of design cues from the M1, such as twin BMW logos on the curvaceous rear flanks denoting it’s a mid-engined model. And the specially developed ‘liquid orange’ paint is a similar shade to that of the original car. The low-slung stance is finished off by cobweb-design alloys which fill the wheelarches.

The dramatic louvres on the rear screen match those on the M1, and the car is a similar size, too. However, the headlights are a modern twist on a classic design, visible only when they are switched on. If they’re not in use, they virtually disappear into the bonnet, similar to the way the pop-up lamps on the historic version did.

BMW says the Homage isn’t only about honouring the past – it also demonstrates the creativity and potential of the firm’s designers.

So, 30 years after the M1 blasted on to the scene, is a genuine successor waiting in the wings at last?