New BMW M1 Homage revealed

Serving only as a reminder to just what BMW could achieve if it put its mind to it, the oft straight-laced German manufacturer fend off accusations that it's BMW M1 Homage is anything more than a design exercise by forcibly admitting that 'it's just a design exercise'.

Doing little to curb the wild and speculative imaginations of the press corps, BMW's modern day twist on what's considered an automotive classic appears out of the, er, orange.

Most folk content themselves with uncorking some bubbly, laying on a spread and donning a novelty tie when celebrating an achievement. Not so BMW. Although some might say it's invested heavily in the novelty factor amid raising a toast to 30 years of its only mid-engined M1 supercar.

Or rather three years as BMW history will forever testify. The BMW M1 Homage unmasked at the Concorso d'Eleganza at Villa d'Este last weekend is a concept car put together as a sort of elaborate 30th birthday gift to its legion of fans, as well as being the perfect tribute in which to recognise an automotive milestone.

Hand-built between 1978 and 1981, the original M1 remains BMW's sole representation in the mid-engined supercar category, yet with 277bhp and a top whack of 161mph would still stand the (road) test of time against any of todays acclaimed metal.

Conjured by the lead from Ital Design Head honcho Giugiaro's pencil, only 456 examples of the M1 bore production during the three years, and was bred out of the necessity for BMW to indulge in its motorsport passion.

Providing the German manufacturer could construct 400 road-legal M1's over a two-year period of sustained production, it would result in qualifying for inclusion in a long-since defunct motorsport formula. For homologation purposes, rulings were in place that insisted said volumes were to be sold to the public prior to a race car being fully-fledged.

However, by the time this task was completed in 1981 a whole new breed of lighter, faster supercars were sitting on the front row of the world supercar grid, both on and off the track, production came to an untimely standstill, and the M1 was consigned to history.

Having kidnapped, bound and gagged the original M1, BMW's supercar imposter takes on the guise of the past in these images, whilst disguised as what could be a stunning future. Concept car, design study, or idle flight of fancy, the all-new BMW M1 mimics its unique forbearer and proves that Munich can pull off that 'supercar thing' should it ever decide to again. We live in hope.