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The M1 is an absolutely legendary BMW. After a deal with Lamborghini fell apart, BMW made its own mid-engine sports car. The dramatic result was so well received it sired the entire M Division! Yet the BMW M1 has never had a successor, at least not a proper one. Spy shots have me wondering if that all is about to change.

Eagle-eyed BMW fans recently spotted a sports coupe testing on the track, covered in camouflage. Why do folks think this is a BMW? It uses the same camo pattern as past BMW cars. It also seems to have a sort of kidney grille, but in a unique style. Its proportions are that of either a mid-engine sports car or an EV coupe similar to the Rimac Nevera. So what’s going on here?

First of all, that styling. It fits with BMW’s current Neue Klasse design language. Both the headlights and tail lights are narrow, LED strips. And that would normally make me say it’s definitely an EV. But the high rear end is odd, leaving room for an engine in the back. The current photos don’t show a visible exhaust, but you never know.

Another take on those dramatic looks could be a more retro design, a throwback to one of the most famous BMWs of all time: the M1. Why would BMW make a sports coupe with a retro design right now? The same reason Dodge is leaning into its heritage with the Charger Daytona: to not alienate longtime fans while launching more electric performance cars.

BMW’s first mid-engine car since the M1 was the i8. That car certainly got attention, but it was trying to hard to achieve both efficiency and performance that it was left in an odd middle ground. It was divisive to say the least.

A decade after the i8, Rimac proved electric is the performance technology of the future. We know BMW has invested $16 million in a startup that is working on radial flux hub motors for future EVs. It has even admitted it can make a 1,300 horsepower EV. It makes sense that BMW is working on an electric supercar to demonstrate these capabilities.

The big question is whether we are looking at a sort of i4 with dramatic, EV styling. Or is BMW taking things way back with something more retro, an electric M1. We’ll just have to wait for the camo to come off to find out.

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.