At the 2025 Monterey Jet Center auction, one of BMW’s rarest competition cars — and perhaps one of its most perfectly preserved — crossed the block and made headlines. On August 14, Broad Arrow Auctions sold chassis number 94301057, a 1980 BMW M1 Procar, for $1.6 million at the hammer, or $1.76 million with buyer’s premium.
This was no ordinary race car. In fact, it was hardly raced at all. Chassis 94301057 never entered a Procar Championship event, never fought wheel-to-wheel with Formula 1 legends, and never endured the mechanical punishment of an entire racing season. Instead, it lived a life of shakedowns, exhibition laps, and a few years left alone in storage — a time capsule from BMW Motorsport’s golden era.
Why a Never-Raced Procar Commands Seven Figures
To collectors, originality can be worth more than a victory record. Out of just 54 BMW M1 Procars ever built, most were raced hard, repainted, repaired, and rebuilt multiple times. Many lost their original components decades ago. This example stands apart: it still wears its factory white paint, retains its original interior, and carries all its as-delivered mechanicals — from the 470-horsepower M88/1 straight-six to the ZF five-speed gearbox.
In effect, it is a reference-grade Procar, preserved as it left BMW Motorsport’s workshop in 1979. For concours judges, museum curators, or vintage racing enthusiasts, such a car offers unmatched historical authenticity. Its lack of competitive mileage means it has never been bent, patched, or compromised — a rare opportunity to own a “brand-new” race car from nearly half a century ago.
Chassis 94301057: From Vasek Polak to Today
Finished on May 9, 1979, this Procar was prepared by Osella in Italy before being delivered to Vasek Polak, the Czech-born racer and renowned Porsche dealer in California. Polak tested the car at Riverside International Raceway, but rule changes ended its competitive eligibility before it could enter a single race. The car went into storage, still wearing its factory white paint and without sponsorship livery.
In 1989, it passed to a second owner, remaining untouched mechanically and cosmetically. The current owner acquired it in 2021 and commissioned a full service at The Werkshop in 2022. Since then, it has seen only light track use.
A Collector’s Dream
Out of the 54 Procars built, almost none remain in such untouched condition. This car’s originality makes it a perfect candidate for high-profile concours displays, museum preservation, or even vintage racing with minimal restoration. Given the M1 Procar’s significance — as BMW Motorsport’s first ground-up creation and the centerpiece of a one-make series that brought F1 champions into equal machinery — it’s no surprise that chassis 94301057 commanded a premium at Monterey.
Its $1.76 million final price is as much a testament to its historical purity as it is to the enduring legend of the M1 Procar itself.
[Photos: Tom Plucinski]