Saturday, June 28, 2008

bmw m1 homage concept

i’ve never been a big fan of german cars - well the big manufacturers like mercedes-benz, porsche, bmw - i’ve been in many examples of each and can say that they are well-built, very cleverly designed, and sometimes even exciting but for the most part they lack what i enjoy in cars; that certain undefinable quality that elevates them above and beyond simple transportation and makes getting into them something memorable, even something you look forward to.

i have to say though that of the three i have always preferred the general design aesthetic of bmw who for whatever reason seen to be able to take fairly staid designs and incorporate a degree of coolness, chic, edge, such that they clearly appeal to that niche that falls between the practical-minded and the sporty.

one of the more extraordinary machines bmw released was the m1. in its first iteration it was produced for three years. the street version was credited with a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph). worked-over turbocharged racing versions such as this lovely example driven by nelson piquet, were capable of producing around 850 hp

a fan site devoted to the bmw m1 bmw m1 can be found here.

recently bmw surprised the car world by releasing a very lovely exotic created in homage to the m1. named the bmw homage concept, the car efeatures many styling cues from the original m1 but with a definite tip of the hat to more current designs. as such, it isn’t a vehicle you’re likely to use for grocery shopping or nipping out for a coffee. this has more of the feeling of a boulevard poser or perhaps something you’d tear up the early morning asphalt with on a quiet stretch of highway. either way it’s a very lovely piece of design work.

here are a few images of the bmw homage concept to drool over. here’s a gallery of images.

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