✦ Shifty Estimate
$569,600
- 12 months median
- $533K
- Market cap
- $258M · 453 built
- Sales, 12 months
- 6
- Original MSRP
- $100,000 · ▲ 470% since
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1978 BMW M1
1978 to 1981 · Coupe · Limited edition · 453 built
Price history
Recent sales
17 sales
1980 · manual2026-03-05$472,500
1979 · Pearlescent white · 17,000 mi · manual2026-03-01 · stbriguy$542,500
1981 · manual2026-01-29$522,500
1980 · Blau (Code 207)2026-01-23$604,500
1980 · Toprot2025-11-01$522,602
1980 · White2025-10-18$662,897
1980 · Red2025-08-16$626,500
1979 · Pearl White2024-11-23$497,173
1980 · Black · 49,000 mi · manual2024-09-05 · Curatedlite$580,000
1979 · Dark Blue Metallic2024-08-17$516,500
1981 · Brillantrot2024-05-11$369,181
1981 · Polaris metallic (silver metallic)2024-03-02$742,000
1980 · Blau2024-01-31$566,233
1980 · White · 20,000 mi · manual2024-01-22 · FantasyJunction$552,000
1980 · Orange · 39,000 mi · manual2022-12-28 · Otis645$651,000
1981$450,500
1980$602,500
Specifications
- Engine
- Naturally Aspirated I6, 3.5L
- Power
- 277 hp
- Torque
- 239 lb-ft
- 0 to 60
- 5.6s
- Top speed
- 162 mph
- Transmission
- Manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD
- Curb weight
- 3,010 lb
- Production
- 453 units
- Original MSRP
- $100,000
- Designer
- Giorgetto Giugiaro
Common questions
How much does a BMW M1 cost?
A 1978 BMW M1 cost $100,000 new. Over the past 12 months, 6 have sold publicly at a median of $532,551. The Shifty Estimate for a well-kept example is $569,600. Cars have changed hands anywhere from $470,300 to $655,040, depending on mileage, color, and history.
What is a 1978 BMW M1 worth today?
The Shifty Estimate is $569,600. We rate confidence medium: 6 public sales in a year is a thin market, and the spread between them is wide.
Is a BMW M1 a good investment?
It has appreciated 470% against its $100,000 list price. Only 453 were built. The caution is spread, not direction: across the sales we have on file, prices ran from $369,181 to $742,000, and mileage explains most of that.
What has a BMW M1 sold for at auction?
The 3 most recent public sales we have on file:
- $472,500Mar 5, 2026
- $542,500Mar 1, 2026Pearlescent white · 17,000 mi
- $522,500Jan 29, 2026
BMW's only supercar remains one of the most coveted German exotics ever built. Born from homologation requirements for Group 5 racing, the M1 paired Giugiaro's stunning wedge design with BMW Motorsport's naturally aspirated 3.5-liter straight-six producing 277 hp. With just 453 examples built between 1978-1981, each hand-assembled in Munich, the M1 represents the pinnacle of 1970s automotive ambition. The mid-engine layout and lightweight construction delivered genuine supercar performance, hitting 162 mph and reaching 60 in 5.6 seconds. Today, the M1 commands seven-figure prices, with pristine examples exceeding $500,000. Its rarity, racing pedigree, and status as BMW's lone mid-engine production car make it the ultimate prize for serious collectors.