Photo: Bring a Trailer
About two weeks ago, when we first stumbled across this 1980 BMW M1 AHG on Bring a Trailer, the highest bid was at $350,000. The amount kept growing, and when the auction concluded earlier this week, the machine ended up going for exactly $500,000. And there are three reasons why that seems about right.
Generally speaking, M1s are extremely rare, and that, of course, affects the price. About 400 of there were ever made, as a result of a botched deal between BMW and Lamborghini that would have seen the two companies bringing a homologation special into the world. That’s reason number one.
Secondly, this is no ordinary M1. Made in 1980, it landed in the garages of BMW dealer AHG, which worked its magic on the car to increase the power of the 3.5-liter inline-six from 277 horsepower to 350, thanks to engine and exhaust changes.
The car received some other changes as well in the process, including a Procar-style body kit, custom BMW Motorsport livery, new wheels, and full-leather seat upholstery. That, on top of the existing, factory-supplied hardware that included a five-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip differential, adjustable suspension, air conditioning, and power windows.
Last but not least, it’s the hands that touched it. The car was shipped new in Germany but made its way across the ocean pretty quickly and was first part of a Georgia collection. In 2011, it was purchased by a Texas collector and eventually ended up as part of the Always Evolving (AE) lot. That would be a garage that Roger Rodas and Paul Walker shared.
This 1980 BMW M1 AHG left the AE garage sometime in 2014 when the one who just sold it for half a million dollars got hold of it.
Oh, and the cherry on the cake, this one was was barely used, as its odometer shows just 4,000 miles (6,400 km).
Secondly, this is no ordinary M1. Made in 1980, it landed in the garages of BMW dealer AHG, which worked its magic on the car to increase the power of the 3.5-liter inline-six from 277 horsepower to 350, thanks to engine and exhaust changes.
The car received some other changes as well in the process, including a Procar-style body kit, custom BMW Motorsport livery, new wheels, and full-leather seat upholstery. That, on top of the existing, factory-supplied hardware that included a five-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip differential, adjustable suspension, air conditioning, and power windows.
Last but not least, it’s the hands that touched it. The car was shipped new in Germany but made its way across the ocean pretty quickly and was first part of a Georgia collection. In 2011, it was purchased by a Texas collector and eventually ended up as part of the Always Evolving (AE) lot. That would be a garage that Roger Rodas and Paul Walker shared.
This 1980 BMW M1 AHG left the AE garage sometime in 2014 when the one who just sold it for half a million dollars got hold of it.
Oh, and the cherry on the cake, this one was was barely used, as its odometer shows just 4,000 miles (6,400 km).
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