BMW has many, many legendary cars in its historical lineup, and now you have the chance to own one—if your pockets are deep enough. A pristine 1980 BMW M1, once awarded to Niki Lauda as a trophy for winning the 1979 ProCar Series, is set to cross the Mecum auction block in just over a week at Kissimmee 2026.
The BMW M1 is among the most sought-after BMWs for its looks, performance, and rich history, both in racing and beyond. Originally developed as a racing collaboration with Lamborghini in the late 1970s, the partnership ultimately fell apart, forcing BMW to complete the project on its own. As a result, the BMW M1 became the first M car fully developed by BMW’s M Division and the first mid-engined BMW to be mass-produced. The homologated road version was sold to the public as the M1, with only 399 examples produced during its 2.5-year production run. The M1 was powered by a 3.5-liter M88/1 straight-six engine featuring Bosch Motronic fuel injection and a Magneti-Marelli ignition system. This engine produced 266 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque, sent to the pavement through a ZF five-speed manual transmission, enabling a top speed of 165 mph.
The BMW M1 is already rare enough, but this example is even more exceptional. Previously owned by and built for 1979 ProCar Series champion Niki Lauda, it features rare ProCar-style elements, including a front air dam, rear louvers, and white 16-inch staggered Campagnolo wheels. Further adding to the exclusivity of this M1 are the iconic Motorsport tri-color stripes, which were hand-painted and signed by German designer and artist Walter Maurer, officially making this car a “BMW Art Car.”
With a mere 20,308 kilometers (12,618 miles) on the odometer and an estimated auction price between $625,000 and $675,000 USD, this offering presents a truly rare opportunity to own a piece of BMW and motorsport heritage unlike any other.
