BMW is set to reprise the original M-car
- the mid-engined BMW M1 supercar - has got us all hopeful that we might also see a re-imagining of the wonderful M1 Procar race series.
The M1 Procar series was devised as a way for BMW to meet new homologation rules for world sports car racing and ran as a support race for the F1 world championship in 1979 and 1980.
While the roadgoing M1 used the 273bhp 3.5-litre straight six M88 engine that would eventually also see service in the M635CSi and the E28 M5, the race versions used a heavily modified version with around 470bhp at 9000rpm. That was good enough for the race car to hit 60 in around 4.3sec and reach 193mph flat out.
This particular car is being driven by Dutch driver Michael Bleekemolen at Zandvoort in 1979. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the heroic cornering angle, he is destined never to finish the race, eventually crashing out from 12th place.
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