BMW March M1 *the ultimate M1*

Slideshow of pictures of the ultimate BMW M1, the BMW-March M1 Group 5/6.

In the late seventies, BMW figured it needed something better than the M1 procar version to beat the reigning Porsche 935. They ordered March Engines in England to build them a totally new aluminum monocoque chassis, which was stronger and lighter than the chassis of the original M1. In 1979 testing started. With it's wild wheel arches, low, wide and long bodywork, the new car surely looked the lot.
The test car was equiped with the engine of the procar's: the M88/1. A 3,5 litre six-in-line which developed 470 hp at 9000 rpm.
This engine has an incredible sound, even compared to today's standards.
This engine is what you hear now.(TURN IT UP!)

Although 470 hp doesn't seem to be very bad, the M1 was very underpowered compared to the porsche 935, which developed in excess of 700 hp from it's turbo engine. That's why BMW was designing a turbocharged version of their M88, the M88/2. They claimed it would produce a whopping 850 hp.

This engine though, was not ready for the 1979 season. The BMW-March M1 failed to qualify for the 1979 le mans, presumably because of a lack of testing and front-end lift at high speeds.
In 1980 it became clear that the rules for Group 5 racing where going to be changed, and that the BMW-March wouldn't qualify for them. This meant it had to be raced in Group 6, the prototype class. BMW stopped testing of the new engine, and after 1980 the project was stopped.

By the end of 1980, 3 cars where made.
• Mk1 -The Works car (Run by March for BMW)
• Mk2 --Went to the US.
• Mk3- Spare chassis for MK1
Also there was a show car, which actually was equipped with a turbo lay-out and could recently be seen at the Nurburgring Museum.
At one point Mk1 crashed and was rebuild, consuming Mk3.
Mk2 went to the US and was raced at the 24 of Daytona and 12 hours of Sebring. After 1980 it was equipped with a 5 litre v8 producing around 700hp and raced in the IMSA and GTP class.
Do you have any additional info on these great cars?
Comment below, and don't forget to thumbs up!

Soon, one of these cars will make it back to the track. Watch this profile!

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[06rallyevo]

sadly they missed grp b :(

[janbonesplitter]

@StefanR0

It's a brilliant car, which indeed didn't really fit in any class because the rules where changing and development was so fast in those days.

Today though, it will be a very nice car to see at a historic meeting.

As you may see in my other vid, we've tested it at the le mans circuit (first run in 28 years), and maybe next year we'll really race it;)

[StefanR0]

There were 3 raceversions of that car which actually was a brilliant one but unfortunately it dismatched the reglements optimums that clear in any clas like probably no other racecar did. For one class it was wrong weighted and for others it had not enough power because of the origine concept of it. Very unlucky car.

[StefanR0]

Ok. I'll have a look. At least it was no official decision by BMW. I just mention that because there were some european sportscar companies that used big V8 engines from Ford and Chevrolet like the Ford in the DeTomaso Pantera.

[janbonesplitter]

@StefanR0

If you read the top comment, i've explained the matter to somebody who thought the same.

First they used a bmw procar 3.4 inline six, waiting for bmw to turbo it. But it took too long/didn't happen and so jim busby put a s/b chevrolet v8 in it with almost twice the horsepower in it. Not really a step back.

You're confused with the sauber M1, just like Duffers999.

See my other vids to see it running with the V8.

[StefanR0]

@janbonesplitter It was the BMW F1 4-cylinder-in-line 1.5L turbo engine. And a Chevy V8 was never ever in a BMW. That would have been a step backwards to be honest.

[janbonesplitter]

@janbonesplitter

Sorry, the M88/1 is the procar engine.

[Duffers999]

@janbonesplitter Ok thanks.

[janbonesplitter]

@Duffers999

I believe you're confused with the sauber M1.. it's from '90 and there is a vid on youtube doing a drag race.

Not much you can find about on the net though, and I don't know if it ever raced.

[Duffers999]

@janbonesplitter My mistake, sorry. I could've sworn there was one BMW M1 with a 4 cylinder turbo engine. DO you know anything about that?