Owned by Ralph Evans, a long-time racer and enthusiast, this extraordinary piece of BMW history is regularly driven to vintage events.   In addition to the Art Car, Evans owns two more M1s including a Pro Car and a street version, as well as numerous other rare BMWs.  This beauty is the crown jewel in his collection; a prize beyond monetary value.

Powered by a heavily massaged 3.5L DOHC mid-engine inline-6, this beast of an M88 develops a staggering 470 bhp at 9,000 RPM's.   The Group 4-spec engine runs Kugelfisher/Bosch Mechanical Injection, similar to stock M88 engines, but with unique tuning and specifications.  Rolling on eleven-inch wide BBS racing wheels, the tires are skinny by today's standards measuring 225/50/17 front and 245/45/17 rear.  Don't worry though, this car is controllable due to the motor's low-torque, high-revving nature.

This piece of history was used as the pace car for many Formula One races including Hockenheim, Nurburgring, Monza, Silverstone, Spa, Zandvort, Monaco, Japan, South Africa, and the Austrian Grand Prix.   While most of us common-folk drive to auto shows to see vehicles of this caliber, Evans just has to walk into his garage where numerous pieces of BMW history reside.   Shouldn't we all be so lucky!

Congrats to Ralph Evans and his beautiful M1 as the Featured Car for February 2007!