Tuesday 22nd March 2011

PH2: 1-series M Is Official MotoGP Pace Car

BMW mixes four wheels with two in the Moto GP...

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The new BMW 1-series M might not hit the road officially until late April, but it’s already hit the track as the official safety car for MotoGP.

Along with a raft of other high-performance BMW cars for official roles, the 1-series M made its on-track debut last weekend at the Qatar GP.

BMW’s support for the top-flight of motorcycle racing is now in its 13th year, and this year BMW M GmbH has built the car as a one-off specifically for the MotoGP series.

Only the 335bhp straight-six M TwinPower Turbo engine (and the entire drivetrain) was taken over unchanged from the production model.

In the interests of weight optimisation, the BMW Safety Car comes with a carbon fibre-reinforced bonnet featuring additional large air vents, as well as polycarbonate side and rear windows. There’s also a special lightweight titanium race exhaust system.

In addition to the production car’s bootlid spoiler lip there is now an adjustable rear wing to provide the requisite downforce, the nose has also been aerodynamically honed. Other track tweaks include a rollover cage bolted behind the B-pillar, the absence of rear seats, two racing bucket seats with 6-point safety belts, an M steering wheel in alcantara and a fire extinguisher are all standard in the Safety Car.

Suspension-wise, the dampers are independently adjustable for bump and rebound, ride height is variably selectable and the camber of the front and rear axle can be altered to suit the circuit. The braking system has also been upgraded with a six-piston fixed-calliper racing brake system.

As well as the fleet of BMW cars, Munich has also laid on two Safety Bikes to help contribute to the safe running of race weekends: a BMW S 1000 RR and a BMW HP2 Sport.

[Beefmeister]

I spy an Aprapovic titanium exhaust with carbon tips. Yum.

That's about £4000 isn't it?

[breadvan]

Looking forward to the bits and pieces filtering down to the road car.

Akrapovic say the exhaust will be available Aug/Sept.

[Dr G]

1M CSL very much!

[Pugsey]

Vindicates my decision to change my order from orange to white at the last minute. I'd already decided to get the wheels changed to graphite or black and am now talking to people about a rather nice wrap design......................

[Bolognese]

Shame there’s no rear shot to show the quad exhausts off

[Pugsey]

Bolognese said:

Shame there’s no rear shot to show the quad exhausts off

See this thread.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Goodfella 555]

Fantastic car but if i was nitpicking i would say the interior with the exception of the seats is about as exciting as the non fiction section of Waterstones... But, i am nitpicking i think this is a special motor, you'd have to be a strange one not to appreciate / lust after 335bhp in a small RWD...

[mat205125]

Anyone remember the Clio Williams?

Anyone remember how happy the owners of the first run of cars were when the subsequent batches were announced?

[BBS-LM]

That does look good, but the M1 looks more like a Police Car then an MotoGP Pace Car.

Edited by BBS-LM on Tuesday 22 March 12:27

[nellyleelephant]

BBS-LM said:

That does look good, but the M1 looks more like a Police Car then an F1 Pace Car.

Good thing it's not an F1 pace car then!

[Escort Si-130]

Stick with the orange, if you get bored of it you can get a wrap to replicate this safety car.

Pugsey said:

Vindicates my decision to change my order from orange to white at the last minute. I'd already decided to get the wheels changed to graphite or black and am now talking to people about a rather nice wrap design......................

[xspencex]

Awesome looking car, save for that horrible rear wing. . .

[zorba_the_greek]

2 words

BAD A$$

[TheRoadWarrior]

Yum!

KW V3's and better brakes might just be on the 1M owners upgrade list along with the akrapovic exhaust!

[JumpinJack]

Beefmeister said:

I spy an Aprapovic titanium exhaust with carbon tips. Yum.

That's about £4000 isn't it?

Yum Indeed! and I'd hope they're worth every penny!

[thewheelman]

Seeing that just makes me want this even more.....

[FishFace]

Shame they didn't change the engine. Should have gone back to the straight 6 rather than this turbo-charged turd.

[Frik]

Awww, isn't it cute!

[Pugsey]

FishFace said:

Shame they didn't change the engine. Should have gone back to the straight 6 rather than this turbo-charged turd.

I'll cancel my order immediately - given your expert opinion lol. You've driven one then? While not a naturally aspirated straight six I actually find the base 135i motor pretty good - what didn't you like about it specifically?. And after a visit to DMS I'll be even happier with my near 400bhp M3 killer I'm sure!

[teamHOLDENracing]

FishFace said:

Shame they didn't change the engine. Should have gone back to the straight 6 rather than this turbo-charged turd.

It is a straight six