Chassis Number: 4301302
The BMW M1 was launched in 1978 but could not compete in the World Sports Car Championship due to a change in regulations. Therefore, Jochen Neerpasch (director of the BMW Motorsport Department) developed the Procar Championship as a venue for the model to race. There were two editions in 1979 and 1980, in races which took place as openers to Formula 1 Grand Prix racing events; single-seater drivers were allocated a drive in the M1 according to their time in practice resulting in spectacular racing clashes. BMW turned the page in 1981 to concentrate on its Formula 1 engines, but the M1 Procar machines continued their career in the United States in the IMSA championship.
That’s how this particular car was born: A road model originally sold new in Italy and delivered in orange, this M1 was modified in 1982 to Procar specifications by Walker Brown Racing Team and competed in the American championship between 1983 and 1986 in the GTO category. It had a livery in white, then black and red consecutively, but always had the number 43 on its doors.
Sold in 1986 to Franco Sbarro in Switzerland, it underwent a full restoration in 2005 that enabled it to take part in the Le Mans Classic and Patrick Peter’s Classic Endurance Racing. It was then purchased by its current owner, a businessman passionate about motorsport who carried out a full restoration. This restoration was completed in 2019 for a total cost of around €150,000, with the car back to its traditional Procar livery based on the BMW Motorsport’s white, blue and red colors.
It has road settings that can be easily modified for the track, and the car is today in very good condition thanks to its restoration, which has hardly aged. Currently awaiting the renewal of its HTP, it will be fully serviced before the sale and will be delivered with a set of four additional wheels.
