Jalopnik: bmw m1 homage

New BMW M1 Exists Only In Imagination Land

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:40:00 EDT

This image popped up over the weekend being touted as a prototype BMW M1 snapped during a candid moment in a Spanish hanger. As we all know, major automakers regularly keep priceless, top secret, never before seen but completely finished supercars stored in regional airports, without camo on them. Well, there was that one time. But this time something seemed amiss. As this would be a fantastical development, especially in the wake of the surprise BMW M1 Homage reveal at Concorso d'Eleganza at Villa d'Este, we took a second look at it. Something seemed...just a bit off.

Those headlights look like they're from something else, and the hood bulge and nose are just too much a BMW M3, which has a front engine necessitating a hood bulge, where this does not. We call shenanigans. Really impressive shenanigans, and way more staggeringly awesome than the actual M1 Homage, but shenanigans no less. What do you say?
Scrutinize a higher resolution version HERE.

[FreshTarmac]

M1 Homage Concept Proves It's A Real, Live Mid-Engined BMW Concept

Mark Arnold — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT

When we showed you the first shots of the BMW M1 Homage, there were many a cry that Photoshop visual trickery was being used to deceive our eyes. Well, it seems the Bavarians have heard your skepticism, and in an effort to prove they're both not made of wood and that their nose isn't growing longer by the minute, have responded with this video footage. We're not saying 3D renderings can't also be used for these sort of moving pictures, but you'd have to be just plain stubborn to deny the physical existence of the M1 Homage concept after watching this footage. Besides, we just want to believe. We know there's mixed opinions on the styling, but we're too busy imagining what a modern mid-engined BMW racer would drive like to worry about what it may or may not look like.

BMW M1 Homage Concept Revealed!

Mark Arnold — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Remember the BMW M1 from the late 70's and early 80's? Sure, we all do — how could someone forget the only BMW mid-engined homologated racer? Well, for you fans of that MotorWorken hotness, we've got an exciting bit of news out of the Concorso d'Eleganza at Villa d'Este, an Italian gathering hosting precious metal from all over the world. The Germans suprised everyone by bringing a piece of racing hotness hearkening back to those halcyon days of the late 70's — kind of a thirtieth anniversary present to lovers of the old M1. It's called the BMW M1 Homage concept, a modern-day interpretation of the mid-engined Bavarian exotic. So is this flame-surfaced M1 successor a future classic? Well, it's hard to say.

As of now, the M1 Homage is strictly a design exercise. We haven't seen shots of the interior, the mechanical bits, or of the vehicle in motion, so it may very well be no more than a hot body. The styling is directly influenced from not only the original M1, but also from that car's inspiration, the BMW Turbo Concept. So if history is to repeat itself, perhaps this Homage is a predecessor to a toned-down limited-production version, but don't hold your breath. There have been optimistic rumors of a BMW return to the mid-engined supercar game, and this would certainly be a bold first step. But we'll have to wait and see just how far BMW is going to take this concept. For now, we'll settle with gawking at the motionless photos of this modern automotive sculpture. [Photo Credit: BMW]