One of only 54 BMW M1 Procars ever built will go under the hammer during Broad Arrow’s Monterey Jet Center auction on August 14, 2025. Broad Arrow estimates the car will bring between $1.45 million and $1.85 million. Chassis number 94301057 is a rare survivor. It has never been raced, has remained in original, as-delivered condition since new, and still wears its factory paint and interior. For a purpose-built competition car, that level of preservation is highly unusual.
BMW Motorsport’s First Ground-Up Creation
By the late 1970s, BMW Motorsport GmbH — established in 1972 — had already built an impressive racing résumé. The lightweight BMW 328 had claimed victory at the 1940 Mille Miglia; the BMW 700RS brought success in the early 1960s; and the BMW 2002 and 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” became touring car legends. The M1 was different. It was the first car entirely conceived and engineered by BMW Motorsport, designed to meet FIA Group 5 regulations and take the fight to Porsche in international sports car racing.
Power came from the M88/1 3.5-liter DOHC inline-six — a dry-sump, 24-valve engine producing around 470 horsepower in Procar trim and capable of revving to 9,000 rpm. Power was sent through a ZF five-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels. Weighing just over 2,200 pounds, the Procar-spec M1 could reach nearly 190 mph. Brakes were four-wheel ventilated discs, and suspension was by unequal-length wishbones at all four corners. Compared to the road-going M1, the Procar version featured wider track, aggressive bodywork, integrated air jacks, and racing-specific cooling and exhaust systems.
The Procar Championship
Production delays — caused in part by a failed partnership with Lamborghini — forced BMW to rethink its racing program. Group 5 homologation required 400 examples for Group 4 competition before further development. This prompted BMW Motorsport boss Jochen Neerpasch to create a new racing series to showcase the M1: the BMW M1 Procar Championship.
The Procar series ran in 1979 and 1980 as a Formula One support event. The format was unique: the five fastest F1 drivers in Friday qualifying earned seats in factory-entered Procars for the Saturday race, lining up against privateer teams.
The racing quickly became a fan favorite. Niki Lauda won the inaugural 1979 championship, with Nelson Piquet taking the 1980 crown. The grids featured a mix of F1 stars — including Alan Jones, Jacques Laffite, Clay Regazzoni, and Hans-Joachim Stuck — and seasoned sports car drivers. The cars were equal, the talent pool was deep, and the racing was often closer than the F1 main event.
You can hear Neerpasch talk about these past times in our exclusive video:
Chassis 94301057: From Vasek Polak to Today
Finished by BMW on May 9, 1979, chassis 94301057 was prepared to Procar specification by Osella in Italy. It was delivered to Vasek Polak, a Czech-born racer and renowned Porsche dealer based in Hermosa Beach, California. Polak’s motorsport career stretched from pre-war motorcycles to preparing winning cars for Ken Miles, Roger Penske, and Wolfgang von Trips. His dealership became a major Porsche racing hub in the U.S., but he was not exclusively loyal to Stuttgart — and the M1 Procar represented an opportunity to compete in a new international series.
The car was shaken down at Riverside International Raceway for break-in laps and initial testing. However, FIA rule changes ended its eligibility before Polak could enter it in competition. With no immediate outlet for the car, he placed it into storage.
In 1989, the M1 was sold to its second owner, still wearing its original, unliveried white paint. The mechanical specification remained untouched: the 3.5-liter M88/1 engine, tubular chassis, fiberglass body panels, and factory racing equipment were all intact. The current owner acquired the car in 2021 and commissioned a service at The Werkshop in 2022. Since then, it has seen only light exercise at private track days.
Why This Example Stands Out
Out of the 54 Procars built, many were raced hard, crashed, rebuilt, or modified over the years. Very few retain their original bodywork, paint, and interior — and even fewer have avoided competitive use entirely. Chassis 94301057 is essentially a new Procar from 1979. It remains an authentic representation of how these cars left BMW Motorsport’s workshop, right down to its period-correct mechanical components.
For collectors, this level of originality offers multiple opportunities: concours-level preservation, museum display, or sympathetic preparation for vintage racing events. Given the Procar’s status as one of BMW’s most recognizable racing cars — and the only one-make series ever to consistently feature the top F1 drivers of its era — its significance is well established.
Auction Details:
- Lot: 276
- Date: Thursday, 14 August 2025
- Location: Monterey Jet Center, Monterey, California
- Estimate: $1,450,000 – $1,850,000
[Source: Broad and Arrow Auctions]