It wouldn’t be a proper BMW M media event until the idea of a new M1 supercar comes up in conversation with BMW execs. Journalists could make a drinking game out of it. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, BMWBlog sat down with M division boss Frank van Meel and BMW’s design chief Oliver Heilmer and asked what their dream cars would be to make, and they both had the same answer—an M1.
The boss answered first, saying “I’m in love with the original M1, but I would love to do a new one.” An unsurprising answer from a genuine gear head. The M1 has always been a fan favorite and it must seem like such a fun idea for the head of BMW M to finally make a successor and throw all of the brand’s tech and knowhow at it. Heilmer echoed his sentiment, too. Neither said whether such a project is in the works, or if anyone is even thinking about it. But, hey, at least we know they want to, right?
Ultimately, that desire means little. BMW had a couple of chances to remake the M1 supercar, with both the i8 and the Vision M Next concept. The former ended up being a good hybrid with stunning looks but underwhelming performance and driving dynamics, not what the M1 was about at all. The latter looked sensational, but its project was scrapped before it ever had a chance. At this point, if it hasn’t happened yet, it seems unlikely to ever happen. And if it does happen, it will be electric.
The passion is there, that isn’t the problem. BMW engineers and execs will always want to build a a supercar. Last year, van Meel told BMWBlog that he’s “always looking into it,” regarding a high-performance model to sit atop the M division’s lineup. But the business case needs to be there for BWM to jump in, and top-dollar electrified hypercars just don’t seem to reach the sorts of numbers that attract Bavarian brass. At least thus far they haven’t. So it’s nice to hear van Meel say he would love to make an M1 successor, but until we see or hear anything even close to realistic, it’s just fantasy.
