With F1 driver Harald Ertl behind the wheel, this M1 hit nearly 190 mph running on liquid petroleum gas.
Nearly 190 miles per hour on liquid petroleum gas. That's how good this M1 is.
Harald Ertl is mostly remembered for being one of the four drivers who helped pull Niki Lauda from his burning Ferrari in 1976. But the Austrian had a successful racing career long before his five less-than-glamorous seasons in Formula One. And we can't forget to mention his world-speed record set in 1981.
Twin-turbo BMW M1s were nothing new by the late seventies, but Harald Ertl and Gerhard Freudenberg created something much more futuristic, fueled by the marketing budget of British Petroleum.
With a pair of K26 turbos from KKK and BMW's inline-six updated to run on liquid petroleum gas, Ertl's M1 was apparently good for beyond 410 horsepower.
Rumor has it that a total of three BP M1s were built, but this battered example is the genuine record car.
Part Lamborghini, part BMW, part LPG test bed.
At VW's proving ground Ehra-Lessien, Ertl brought his modified M1 to a recorded speed of 301.4km/h (187.3mph).
Additional sponsors like Goodyear, , VDO, Fichtel & Sachs and KKK were all very happy with BP's record.
What happened to the car afterwards is detailed in Alex Sobran's excellent story .
Moving from one owner to another and street parked for years, this unique M1 had a rough life.
But it's also a unique piece of BMW's history, and the genuine 186--mph article.
With the , now is that can put a Koenig Ferrari to shame.
But sure is not for the faint-hearted.