BMW Brings Back the M1 Supercar

It looks like BMW is bringing back the M1, the legendary mid-engined two-seater that redefined the supercar and proved a BMW could run with the best from Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini.

The company once again has those marques — and Audi, which knocked one out of the park with the incredible R8 — in its sights and believes a car based on the M1 Hommage it unveiled last month is just the weapon to bring them down. "We have the know-how, we have the right engine, we even have the infrastructure to build such a car," company board member Herbert Diess says.

The M1 that Giorgetto Giugiaro designed for BMW was a seminal car. It was smooth, it was quick and it was easy to drive — impressive given that it was a race car homologated for street use. Top Gear called it "civilized" and "the world’s first truly user-friendly mid-engined supercar." The car gave rise to BMW’s M cars and its six-cylinder engine went on to appear in the M3 and M5. BMW hand-built just 456 M1s between 1978 and 1981, and they command top-dollar these days.

Adrian van Hooydonk floated the idea of developing a supercar concept five years ago to mark the M1’s 25th anniversary, but then-chairman Helmut Penke shot it down. Norbert Reithofer is in charge now, and he embraced the idea of marking the M1’s 30th anniversary with the Hommage. Although it’s only a styling exercise — there’s nothing under the hood or behind those black windows — it was designed with the idea it might be built. Britain’s CAR Magazine says it almost certainly will be, and Auto Express says the project’s been approved.

According to CAR, BMW’s engineers are looking at a three-part structure for the chassis consisting of a front subframe with suspension, passenger cell and rear subframe with suspension and drivetrain. They’ll most likely be fabricated from aluminum, although a carbon fiber passenger cell is possible. As for the engine, CAR says anything in the BMW lineup will fit but the most likely candidate is a 3.0-liter straight six with three turbos and about 450 horsepower. Auto Express will come with either the six or the 4.0-liter V8 from the M3. That would give it about 400 horsepower. Whatever it gets, look for a 0-to-60 time of around 4 seconds and a top speed just north of 200. A diesel and hydrogen version also are possible.

The production car will build on Benoit Jacob’s design for the Hommage, and BMW Group chief designer Chris Bangle tells CAR, "the car’s exterior will go through at least one more revision, for both aesthetic and engineering reasons."

So when would it be built? If BMW goes full bore, CAR says it could be ready by 2010 but 2013 is more likely. "Done right," Diess told the magazine, "I believe we can only benefit from such a car."

Prince a wedding 5 cars

In addition to wear the dress of beauty, British royal wedding another window will not ignore -- that's wedding car. In these royal current car, we from the first five four-wheel star.

Royal wedding in the media, after open a wave on the best dressed comments from the storm. If you ask my wife words, she will tell you: the no.1 is Kate Middleton, second place is her sister pippa Middleton, the third is to JiYa Spanish princess, riley, behind last audi this one is Victoria Beckham. However, in addition to wear the dress of beauty, royal wedding another window will not ignore -- that's wedding car.


Although we are now in an era of environmental protection, wedding day but did not appear many hybrids and electric vehicles or energy saving vehicles, the brightest is a car "fuel-hungry investors" - carrying William young couple admittance aston · Martin antique cars. However, this originally belong to Charles convertible after modification, can use biological alcohol for fuel, theoretically be to environmental avenue near some. But actually, for the day in London area to the marching for vehicles, "environmental protection" almost all can with orchid karst bombers comparable.


In these royal house car, and our wedding car from the top five:

First name: 1969 aston · Martin DB6 Mk2 Volante

To: in Newport in buckinghamshire Pagnell made by hand

This car is the first eye-catching star, carrying William and Kate from Buckingham Palace to the attention of the quay, clarence by almost as great as the bride's gown.

The car was the queen in Charles 21 birthday when the gift to him, actually when the queen might as well send him a car than DB5 DB5, because the appearance of the DB6 stratosphere -- has and pippa Middleton as pretty hip - can become 42 years ago British engineering technology and design level best propaganda.

Second: 1950 Rolls-Royce phantom IV (two open-balcony)

To: in Mayfair district made by hand in London

Charles and camilla visit to the way the church is on the most old royal fleet of a car. No wonder this fall. The car look solemn and noble, is high-tech version of the royal chariot.

Tied for second: 1977 Rolls-Royce phantom VI

To: in London in Willesden made by hand

Kate and her father on the way to the church in Rolls-Royce phantom VI is 1977. Charles and camilla married also once sat in the car, was also suffered the smelly egg demonstrators attacked, fortunately, 5,000 police escorted, this car "calm" to Westminster Abbey by Goring hotel.

Third: 2002 State Limousine bentley

To: in Britain in Crewe wood county made by hand

William and harry, on the way to the church in State is 2002 edition Limousine, their bentley's grandmother, on another car, with car (this car there were only two cars around the world. Enough Windows satisfy the spectators see face desire. Prince To tell you the truth, this paragraph of it is very ugly, bentley is simply a maybach compared with ferrari's snowboarding progresses, so I really don't understand why the Buckingham Palace cannot out some money to acquire two open-balcony new phantom.

Fourth: 2011 jaguar XJ LWB

Bromwich in Birmingham in ground: castle make

New XJ appearance we never is very like two cars, but there are the grounds and how to see all weird Rolls-Royce prior, the bentley carrying Kate mother and brother went to church new jaguar XJ LWB is call a person does it one brace up - we finally smell the breath of the new era. The car, the 21st century that the British people besides wedding is good at something else.

Fifth: 2011 Volkswagen minibuses

To: in Hanover factory manufacture in Germany

When the passenger drove to Westminster Abbey, a lot of people said, "sit must be inside Middleton home", but you are wrong! Royalty and not all sit Rolls-Royce, others (lower levels of the royal personnel) sitting, zarate passenger: queen granddaughter philips (the duke and the duchess), etc. The car apparently became luxuriant receptions dissonant notes, and moreover, even if not, why not with passenger choice not made?