On the planet of automobile fans, a uncommon gem emerged on Mecum.com, stirring the hearts of collectors and pace lovers alike. A 2011 BMW 1 Collection M Coupe, a automobile I personal as effectively, was listed on the market. What made this sale extraordinary was not simply the automobile’s prestigious lineage however its remarkably low mileage – a mere 176 miles. The Valencia Orange magnificence, belonging to none aside from famend automobile collector and Rolls-Royce aficionado, Michael Fux, was about to make headlines.

The Collector’s Satisfaction

Michael Fux, a reputation synonymous with an beautiful assortment of cars, had all the time had a watch for the distinctive and the distinctive, together with a one-off BMW 1M in Austin Yellow. His assortment, recognized for housing a few of the most enviable vehicles on the planet, now had a emptiness. The BMW 1M Coupe, a uncommon discover within the U.S. with solely 750 items produced, was greater than only a automobile; it was a logo of BMW excellence.

The BMW 1M Coupe, recognized internally because the Pirate, was basically a skunkworks undertaking inside BMW M. Primarily based on the E82 1 Collection, it deviates from the standard M automobile method, developed by a small staff of engineers pushed to create a pure driving machine harking back to the legendary E30 M3. The 1M Coupe integrated components from different M fashions, such because the N54 engine from normal BMWs, the brakes, and differential from the M3. These modifications led to a compact, agile automobile with a muscular physique equipment, delivering 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, with an Overboost operate boosting it to 370 lb-ft of torque. It additionally include a single transmission selection: a 6-speed handbook.

A Collector’s Dilemma

Whereas vehicles just like the BMW 1M are constructed to be pushed, to really feel the asphalt below their wheels, this specific instance had spent its life in a unique type of limelight. Preserved in pristine situation, it was a chunk of automotive historical past, a murals that begged the query – ought to it’s pushed or preserved? Collectors and fans debated, however the attract of its near-perfect state held a appeal that was onerous to withstand.

Initially, BMW deliberate to provide solely 2,700 items of the 1M Coupe, however resulting from overwhelming demand, manufacturing was elevated to six,309 items. The automobile grew to become a collector’s merchandise nearly instantly, with its worth skyrocketing to greater than double its authentic value in public sale So being a car of such caliber and rarity is a once-in-a-lifetime alternative, this BMW 1M was shortly offered for apparently a staggering $123,000!

[Source: Mecum]