2009 Melbourne International Motor Show To Feature BMW M1 Homage

At last, a good news tale revolving around a motor show and starring a car manufacturer that is coming, rather than going: something unheard of in recent months. BMW Group Australia has announced that it will be putting the BMW M1 Homage show car on a plane, in time to have it arrive in Melbourne to star at the 2009 International Motor Show.

Needless to say, the stunning Homage will be the centrepiece of the BMW display.

The BMW M1 Homage was created in 2008 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the BMW M1 road and race car programme, the car developed by the highly successful BMW M GmbH division.

In Melbourne, the Homage will be joined by the all-new BMW 7 Series Sedan (which makes its Australian public debut at Melbourne), and the just-released BMW X6 xDrive50i, both of which are powered by the first ever BMW Twin Turbo V8 engines. BMW likes to point out that the original M1's straight six was turbocharged.

“For BMW, heritage is always also a living heritage. Drawing inspiration from your own past and thereby reinventing yourself – that is exactly what the BMW M1 Homage demonstrates in impressive style,” Dr Klaus Draeger, BMW Group Board Member, Development explained at the unveiling of the BMW M1 Homage at the world famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como, Italy.

Back in 1979, the BMW M1 was Germany’s fastest series production sports car. While many were dressed in aggressive war paint for racing in the Proccar series, none is better known than the BMW Art Car, immortalised by Andy Warhol.

The Homage’s Liquid Orange paintwork was exclusively developed for the Homage with BMW claiming that it “cites the classic BMW M1 colour, yet surprises with its powerfully iridescent play of colour and brilliant depth” .

“We are delighted to be able to announce the BMW M1 Homage show car will be arriving in Australia for the Melbourne International Motor Show,” said BMW Group Australia Managing Director Guenther Seemann.

The BMW M1 Homage borrows many styling cues from the original M1, in-particular the air vents in the bonnet, louvers on the rear screen and the black cut line that divides the roofline from the rear section of the body.

Another feature carried over is the twin outboard BMW Roundels, positioned at the extremity of each wing, as in all previous mid-engined BMW models.

“The BMW M1 Homage is a sensational looking car that highlights both the strong dynamic Motorsport heritage of BMW, but also the talent and skill of our current designers, who created a 21st century look at how a new generation BMW M1 could look.