BMW was very close to having a new version of the iconic M1. However, the automaker pulled the plug on that project at the last minute, and it’s unlikely BMW will build a new supercar anytime soon.
BMW M Boss Frank van Meel told BMW Blog that the company doesn’t “want to lose focus” on its high-performance models right now, even if “we are always dreaming about” a new M1-like supercar. However, the company has to “find the right window of opportunity where we have the capacity to work on a car like that.”
BMW is preparing the launch of its Neue Klasse architecture that will support both electric and gas-powered versions of the highly anticipated M3. It’s not expected to go on sale until late 2026 or early 2027, and it’s likely consuming a vast amount of engineering resources leading up to the launch. The new combustion-powered M3 will have a gas engine that’s unique from the S58 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that powers the current model.
The new M1 that BMW was supposedly working on would have been a 600-horsepower plug-in hybrid with a four-cylinder engine. BMW worked on the project throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but the powers-that-be decided to greenlight the XM instead.
It’s likely not a question of if, but when BMW decides to build a new supercar—it just has to happen at the right time. One reason the company greenlit the XM over a new M1 was that it believed today’s customers wanted SUVs instead of sports cars. However, the XM isn’t selling well, and a new BMW supercar is now sitting on the back burner.
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