The brilliant results in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and American Le Mans Series of the M3, symbolises the road and track performance of BMW, and provides an opportunity to recall another important BMW : the M1, one that raced at Le Mans thirty years ago is in the final stages of restoration.

The genesis of the M1 was in exactly forty years ago, when in 1971 BMW developed a concept called "Studie", unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1972. Equipped with 4-cylinder 2-litre turbocharged BMW 2002 mounted on tubular chassis, the Studie was also distinguished by stunning gullwing doors. But the oil crisis of 1973 put the project on hold until 1977 when Jochen Neerpasch, founder of BMW Motorsport launched the M1 project. Presented at the Paris Salon in 1978, this car is the first to carry the famous "M" (for Motorsport carried currently by the M3). Powered by a  3.5-litre straight 6, the M1's beautiful and very low body (1.14 m high) was by the Italian designer Giugiaro Giorgietto.

The M1 made its first appearance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979. That year, it was already made history by Herve Poulain, the auctioneer and vintage car enthusiast who also had a passion for contemporary art, had his decorated by painter Andy Warhol. Along with Marcel Mignot and Manfred Winkelhock, he finished sixth in a 24 hours deluged by rain, and set what will remain the best result of M1 in the 24 Hours. The M1 was not seen again at Le Mans until 1986. A commercial failure as a road car, production ceased in 1981, but today, the BMW M1, especially competition form has become a popular collector's item.

The restoration of one example ends today. Driven by Bernard Darniche, Philippe Alliot and Johnny Cecotto at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1981, it finished sixteenth. BMW collector, Pierre Desnos found t abandoned in the garage of a hotel in the Riviera, painted white. He undertook to restore it to its original colors, and for that he called upon the services of Pano Boutique. In the absence of any other data, they had to use a 1:43 scale model as reference. Delivered under its beautiful original multicolored livery, Pierre Desnos plans to enter the Le Mans Classic in 2012.