Thursday, June 28, 2012

BMW reportedly working on a spiritual successor of the M1

MBW

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the M1, BMW released the Homage concept at the event Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d'Este in April 2008 created by Italian designer Giorgio Giugiaro who drew inspiration from the M1 and the BMW turbo, debuting many technical advancements. This development sparked off speculations on BMW's interest in developing a flagship sportscar or to join the club of the Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis.
All this while BMW has denied the existence or the development of a M1 successor. However according to reports on German publication Auto Bild and Automobilwoche, work is on for a spiritual successor that could take its public bow in 2016.
Auto Bild says the sequel to the iconic BMW supercar will feature a lightweight body made using materials such as plastic, aluminum, magnesium and titanium. These efforts will lead to a weight of around 1,250 kg for the performance car.
A turbocharged V8 engine producing 590-650bhp is expected to provide firepower, enabling it to hit a top speed of 330 km/h. In spite of such thrilling performance figures, the 2016 will not be a gas guzzler thanks to fuel saving technologies such as the engine start-stop system and regenerative braking that convert kinetic energy of rolling wheels into electric charge.
None of this information is verified, but we are keeping our eyes open for test mules, leaks or announcements.
Expect the proposed M1 comeback model to be priced at not less than $316,925 (1.16 million UAE Dirhams).
[Source - Automobilwoche.de]

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