Struggling to partecipate in Group 4 races due to homologation changes BMW did not give up and started holding Procar races. This was a unique championship that the Germans organized in conjunction with Formula One. Before each F1 round, the five best drivers from the qualification race got behind the wheel of an M1 and raced against each other and 15 private drivers who were also in M1s over a distance of 100 km. This lasted a couple of years – the 1979 championship was won by Niki Lauda, and Nelson Piquet won the next year.

The BMW M1 Procar remains one of the most iconic vehicles in auto racing history, and holds a special place in the hearts of BMW and classic car enthusiasts

Distinguished by its impressive design features, and for the success it created at the briefly held Procar Championship, the M1 Procar’s legacy can be viewed across a number of areas, including its impact on later BMW sports car designs.

While the Championship was short lived, and the specific impact of the M1 Procar tied to it, the car represents an important part of BMW’s legacy