Asking | €550,000 EUR The 11th M1 produced by BMW, and the first of three retained for press use by BMWPresented in Dark Blue Metallic, its original colour and the only press car finished as suchMechanically restored by Dutch marque specialist Oldenzaal ClassicsOver thirty years of single Californian ownership The eleventh M1 built by BMW, this car was not allocated to an eager customer when new, but was retained by BMW’s Press Department instead.

Completed on 30 October 1978, the car was finished by Baur on 21 December and would finally be in the hands of the press department by 5 January 1979.

Five days later, it was road registered in Germany as part of their press fleet.

This would be some two months prior to the first customer M1 being delivered, giving the world’s motoring journalist early access to what was undoubtably the most exciting BMW built in decades.

Just three M1s were retained by press use, and the car offered here, bearing chassis number 4301011 is the only press ...