In a parallel universe, BMW would’ve followed up on the M1 with a few supercars. Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini launch a new one every decade or so. However, BMW is not an exotic brand. It’s a massive automotive conglomerate with dozens of models to manage and a bottom line to protect at the end of the business day.
Over the decades, there have been attempts to introduce another flagship performance machine. The closest BMW ever came was in 2019 with the Vision M Next. However, the mid-engine hybrid supercar was left on the proverbial cutting room floor. As journalists and enthusiasts, we never miss an opportunity to ask BMW’s top brass whether something along the lines of a reborn M1 is in the works.
BMWBLOG organized a panel at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este over the weekend. Naturally, we brought up the topic with none other than the M boss. Frank van Meel told us there have been “some ideas in the past” about an M1-like model and that BMW is “always looking into” the possibility of developing a new supercar. However, the reality is that there are bigger priorities. Between electrification and the arrival of new M cars, the company is already stretched thin.
“We don’t want to lose focus on our high-performance cars because we do a super sports car. I must be honest; we are always dreaming about it. And maybe some day we find the right window of opportunity where we have the capacity to work on a car like that. And also, the company, BMW Group, says: ‘Ok, go for it.’ We never give up, I can promise you that, but actually, it’s not here yet.”
The thing about supercars is that, while undoubtedly exciting, they’re low-volume products. These products are typically almost entirely bespoke, requiring thousands of unique parts. BMW likely hasn’t forgotten how much of a headache it was to develop the M1 in the 1970s, so its reluctance to pursue a successor is understandable. Then again, the success of its recent coachbuilt models may be encouraging the company to reconsider.
Although never officially confirmed, the 3.0 CSL’s price tag hovered around €750,000. Even so, BMW had no trouble finding buyers for all 50 units. The 50-unit Skytop targa, rumored to carry a €500,000 sticker, was also a resounding success. Its coupe sibling, the Speedtop, has an even larger production run of 70 cars. Still, all these models are based on existing platforms.
The 3.0 CSL was an M4 CSL under its Batmobile-esque retro skin. BMW created the Speedtop and Skytop models based on the M8 platform. A true supercar would be almost entirely distinct from the regular lineup, aside from possibly sharing parts of the powertrain. Logic suggests that profitability would only be feasible if the car were priced in the millions. Would people pay seven figures for a BMW supercar?
Oliver Heilmer, Head of M Design, admitted he’s also enthusiastic about the idea of a halo car to cap off BMW M’s extensive portfolio. Together with Frank van Meel, they’ve been exploring the concept of a supercar, though nothing has yet materialized with production potential.
While a new M1 is a “no” for now, it remains a “maybe” for the future.