We know what you think: it's a strange BMW M1. You're not wrong The strange thing is that the history of this strange corner of violet has remained a mystery, seemingly sliding through the cracks of the world of BMW enthusiasts. Until now. Because as soon as they gave us a vision, we had to do all the research, discover a fascinating history of attempts at high-speed records, unprecedented excesses of the 80s, duplication of behavior and ultimately abandonment .

It all started in 1980, when a bright blue door of the 70s supercar delivered to its wealthy owner in West Berlin. But just a year later, chassis number 4301150 was acquired by a guy named Harald Ertl. If you are in your F1, this name could ring the bell. Ertl was an effervescent and mustachioed automotive journalist who became an F1 driver and had more personality than talent. But in 1980, Ertl wanted to set a new ground speed record for cars powered by LPG. The M1, he thought, was the perfect car for the job.

As you know, the M1 does not normally work in LPG. In fact, not much at that time. The registration attempt was an exercise to promote BP's new autogas technology. The Ertl team again equipped the six-cylinder M88 in a straight line to operate a liquid propane tank that was in the trunk. Then, two huge KKK turbochargers were installed to take the power of 276 hp at 404 hp. Because power is always equal to speed, right?

But power was not the only solution. To slide the M1 into the air like a greased goose, the entire aerodynamic package has been remodeled to make the wedge, um, wedgier. The nose was lowered and gained an air dam, rearview mirrors were grouped for smaller and softer (to channel the air to the tubes on the sides), and very heavy (it is literally a three-man job to lift it) was added the steel boot lid and the rear wing assembly.

Which, considering the lightness of the front in a standard M1, can only assume a madness experience at high speed. Finally, as it was the 80s, Blaupunkt filled as many speakers as possible in the cockpit.

Next, on October 17, 1981, Harald got behind the wheel in Ehra-Lessien, increased the momentum through the bestial button protruding from the dashboard, pointed the M1 on the horizon and closed the accelerator to 301 km / h, surpassing the previous record of 18 km / h. Success! Unfortunately, the story comes from here. Three years after registration, an Alpina distributor in Germany sold the M1 to Piet Oldenhof in the Netherlands. In 1984, the car was repainted since then in two silver and blue tones, with an airbrush hand tightening a sword on the hood. Chic

Then, after being selected, some bozo ripped the casing, leading to a new M88 era to be assembled in 1988. A year later, the M1 was auctioned off in Paris at a Japanese investment agency, to reappear at a random Ilford dealership in the United Kingdom in 1993. It was purchased only for the owner to die tragically. Since then, it has been left as an inheritance. The one who has been sitting in an alley for 15 years, from where it seems that is the case. However, recently, BMW Munich Legends experts dragged him to his workshop to see if a restoration was possible. They told us that it was not child's play, but it would be a project that would require deep and deep pockets. So, who wants to lead one of the craziest M1s in the world?