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BMW M1

Giorgetto Giugiaro · 1974

BMW’s first mid-engine car wasn’t born from ambition—it was forged for racing, then dressed in Giugiaro’s sharpest paper fold.

Worth your time?4/5Yes.Drive the whole thing.What works, what does not, who it is for ↓
9:03in productionCh. 1 · A new kind of BMW/ 9:03 · ceiling 15 min
4 chapters · 9:03Ceiling 15:00

The brief is written and checked. The video joins this page when it is cut.4 chapters · 1 min read · 9:03 planned

Read the brief

The BMW M1 is a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive coupé designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1977. Hand-built from 1978 to 1981 as a homologation special, it was the first car developed solely by BMW M and the first mass-produced mid-engine BMW. Its fibreglass body reflects Giugiaro’s angular 'folded paper' design language. Only 453 units were produced.

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Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 1:00
    A new kind of BMW

    It was BMW’s first mass-produced mid-engine car—and the first car developed solely by BMW M.

  2. 2:42
    Made for the track first

    Built by hand between 1978 and 1981 to meet homologation rules for sports car racing.

  3. 4:45
    A shape cut from paper

    Giugiaro’s fibreglass body belongs to his angular 'folded paper' era—sharp, planar, and resolved from the 1972 Turbo concept.

  4. 6:17
    Rarity by necessity

    Only 453 units were built—making it one of BMW’s rarest production models.

1 more chapterFewer chapters
Worth your time?

Yes. Drive the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • places the driver centrally in BMW’s performance hierarchy
  • gives form to a racing mandate without disguising its purpose
  • resolves function into sharp, unbroken surfaces
What does not
  • offer modern driver aids
  • prioritise daily usability
  • provide cabin space
Drive it if
  • historians of BMW
  • students of 1970s industrial design
  • collectors who value rarity and lineage
Skip it if
  • drivers seeking refinement
  • drivers seeking ease of access
  • drivers seeking contemporary dynamics
Who should drive it, and who should skipHide who it is for
The written brief1 min read

What the car is and where it came from

A mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive coupé designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1977. Hand-built from 1978 to 1981 as BMW M’s first sole project and a homologation special.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

The driver sits ahead of a mid-mounted straight-six engine. The car is rear-wheel drive. The body is fibreglass. It was built by hand.

What it gets right

It places the driver centrally in BMW’s performance hierarchy. It gives form to a racing mandate without disguising its purpose. Its folded-paper lines resolve function into sharp, unbroken surfaces.

What it does not

It does not offer modern driver aids, adjustable suspension, or packaging flexibility. It does not prioritise daily usability or cabin space.

What it changed

It established BMW M as a standalone division with its own car. It proved BMW could build a mid-engined road car for homologation, not just front- or rear-engined saloons and coupés.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for historians of BMW, students of 1970s industrial design, and collectors who value rarity and lineage. It is not for drivers seeking refinement, ease of access, or contemporary dynamics.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you need to understand how BMW M began, or how Giugiaro’s angular language entered German engineering. No—if you’re looking for a drivable benchmark or technical reference.

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9:24
DeLorean DMC-12Giorgetto Giugiaro · 1981The DMC DeLorean is a rear-engine, two-seat sports car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and produced by the DeLorean Motor Company from 1981 to 1983. It features gull-wing doors, unpainted brushed stainless-steel body panels, and a 2.85 L PRV V6 engine shared with Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo. Approximately 9,000 units were built before the company’s bankruptcy. Though criticized for modest performance and build quality, it gained iconic status through the Back to the Future films.
9:02
Bizzarrini StradaGiorgetto Giugiaro · 1965The Bizzarrini Strada is a mechanically focused, front mid-engine sports car from 1964–1968. It uses a rearward-placed Chevrolet V8 to optimise weight distribution and handling. Its aluminium body was styled by Bertone, under Giorgetto Giugiaro’s influence. It exists in coupé, roadster, and Corsa forms. Its performance figures are verified: sub-7-second 0–100 km/h, 280 km/h top speed.
9:11
Lotus EspritGiorgetto Giugiaro · 1976The Lotus Esprit S1 is a 1976 Giorgetto Giugiaro design for Lotus Cars. It is a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupé built on a steel backbone chassis. It emerged from Project M70 as a successor to the Europa. Its 'folded paper' aesthetic was among the first of its kind in production. Its chassis later carried the DeLorean. Its design prioritises structural clarity and geometric rigour over comfort or concealment.
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