This is the origin chapter of BMW M. This is the shape that made Munich a supercar maker.
This is the M1 as it left the factory, in its radiant Inka Orange livery, preserved, documented, and ready for a new custodian.
This is not just a BMW.
It’s BMW’s mid-engined moment of genius. And it is for sale exclusively through Gallery Aaldering. Please contact them directly to find out more about this remarkable car.
What Makes This Car So Special?
In an era dominated by Italian exotics, BMW built just 399 M1 road cars. That number alone makes the M1 rare. But this car goes well beyond “rare.”
- Factory test / training car documented by BMW
- No. 3 M1 built
- The first M1 prepared for road use
- Delivered new in factory Inka Orange
- First private owner: Alf Gebhardt, BMW racing driver / Procar participant
- Just 22,000 km from new
- Paint and interior in outstanding, original condition
- Full history known and confirmed by factory records
This is the kind of provenance that separates a good M1 from a museum-grade M1.
1980: Munich Builds a Supercar
The BMW M1 was born out of ambition. BMW wanted to go racing in FIA Group 4 / Group 5 and needed a mid-engined homologation car. Lamborghini was brought in, Giugiaro penned the shape, and a composite body was to be mated to a German chassis. The project was so complex it became legend.
This very car sat at the beginning of that story.
- Built in 1980 as factory car No. 3
- Used by BMW for service training and promotional purposes
- Finished from new in Inka Orange, one of the boldest and most desirable BMW colors of the period
- Afterwards sold to someone very close to BMW Motorsport: Alf Gebhardt, former Bavarian Motors International driver
This is factory history you can still touch.
Engineering: Pure M1
Under the rear hatch lives the M88/1, a 3.5 litre, twin-cam, 24-valve straight-six with Bosch Kugelfischer mechanical injection, producing around 277 hp and sending power through a ZF 5-speed manual to the rear wheels.
- 0–100 km/h in about 5.6 seconds
- Top speed over 260 km/h
- Race-bred chassis, double wishbones all around
- Mid-engined balance that made the M1 so devastatingly good on track and the perfect base for the M1 Procar championship
Even today, it feels unusually modern: light controls, superb visibility, and an engine that climbs to redline with race-car intent.
A Life Carefully Kept
After Gebhardt, the car went to its second long-term owner, a passionate BMW collector, who kept the car for over 30 years. Usage remained modest: about 1,000 km per year.
Today the odometer shows around 22,000 km. For an M1, that is exceptional.
Even better:
- Original tool roll present
- First aid kit present
- Interior virtually untouched
- Paint in excellent original state
- Full file of history and factory substantiation
This is one of those rare occasions where the words “unmolested” and “early factory car” can truthfully stand in the same sentence.
Rare. Ready for the Right Collector.
The BMW M1 is already a blue-chip 1970s supercar.
But an early, factory-used, No. 3 car in original Inka Orange, with full history, low kilometres, and first ownership by a BMW Motorsport driver, that’s another level.
This is the M1 for the collector who cares about story as much as spec. The one that will stand out in any BMW or motorsport collection. The one you will still be proud of in 20 years.
Gallery Aaldering, since 1975
World leaders in rare and exclusive automobiles. Contact them today for further information or a private viewing. Find out more
