Chassis No. WBS59910004301450

Engine No. M88-182 (See Text)

By the late 1970s, BMW's "M" division had firmly established itself as a world-class force in motorsport, following a legacy of success that began with the lightweight 328s in the 1940 Mille Miglia and continued with the 700 RS and the BMW 2002 in the 1960s and early 1970s. This momentum culminated in the creation of the BMW M1, the division's first fully independent engineering project. Designed to compete with Porsche in Group 4 racing, the M1 featured a mid-engine layout, a tubular space frame chassis by Gianpaolo Dallara, and a striking wedge design by Giorgetto Giugiaro, which made it as aggressive looking as anything on the road. Production delays stemming from a partnership with Lamborghini led to a collaborative effort among TIR, ItalDesign, Baur, and BMW Motorsport, resulting in the production of 453 cars between 1978 and 1981, including road and racing versions. The M1 also played a key role in the Procar BMW M1 Championship, a series designed to facilitate Group 4 and Group 5 homologation, with Grand Prix World Championship drivers like Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet winning the first two seasons.

Despite the M1's considerable competition pedigree, the late-1970s fuel crisis initially muted demand for any exotic supercar. Many of the 399 road cars therefore lay dormant in showrooms, patiently waiting for collectors to realize their significance as the very first BMW M car.

According to the BMW M1 Registry, chassis 4301450 is believed to be the penultimate M1 to be fully completed. Only one subsequent example is recorded with an engine installed, while the remaining chassis numbers are documented as spare bodies. Built on 5 March 1981 and originally finished in White over Black cloth, this example was sold new through BMW Switzerland to Seger & Hoffmann-a name that should grab the attention of any discerning BMW Motorsport enthusiast. Best known for constructing the bodywork for the M1 Procars and sponsoring a Sauber-operated M1 Group 5 car, Seger & Hoffmann quickly amassed a collection of pristine M1 spare parts and full road cars including 4301450. Desiring to own an M1 in every color, S&H repainted this example in its current Red finish. When the firm encountered financial difficulties in 1984, its full collection was sold to Peter Bachmann. Most of the cars, including 4301450, had been partially disassembled, with period photos on file showing a row of removed engines next to the collection. Bachmann engaged Fredy Gretener-today a noted Swiss BMW M1 expert-in 1986 to finish the cars. At a time when "matching numbers" held little significance in the collector lexicon, the car was fitted with the engine from chassis 4301445, which it retains today. Its speedometer reportedly showed zero kilometers when reinstalled, and given the car's minimal use, its current mileage is therefore believed to be accurate.

Once completed, the car was carefully preserved by Gretener for the next several decades. It was granted Veteran Vehicle status by the Frauenfeld Road Traffic office in July 2013 following a thorough technical inspection, showing just 2,674 kilometers at the time. Having been only briefly road registered in March 1983 and taken off the road one month later, the car was only re-registered again when it was sold to its current Swiss owner in December 2013. The M1 has remained under Gretener's expert care, who has continued its regular maintenance and annual exercise drives of approximately 50 kilometers per year.

The M1 underwent a partial interior refurbishment in 2023 under Gretener's supervision, with its seats receiving fresh padding using original parts following 42 years of general wear, along with various mechanical work conducted.

This well-documented 1981 BMW M1 is offered today with 4,842 kilometers at cataloging and is accompanied by an impressive history file containing copies of its Swiss registration documentation from new, period photos of the car, and invoices for work performed by Gretener under current ownership.

Distinguished by exceptionally low mileage and remarkable provenance-including its original ownership by Seger & Hoffmann and decades of expert care under esteemed M1 specialist Fredy Gretener-this 1981 BMW M1 is a distinguished example of BMW's first M car; believed to be both one of the final and one of the finest in existence.