BMW M chief admits it — he wants a new M1, and the XM doesn't count
Frank van Meel finally says it out loud. A new mid-engine M1 successor is what he wants. The XM doesn't count, and BMW M's design chief agrees.
BMW M keeps circling back to the same dream. A mid-engine supercar in the spirit of the original M1 — and no, the XM doesn’t count. M division boss Frank van Meel has stopped hiding it: “I’m in love with the original M1, and I’d love to do a new one.”
BMW M design chief Oliver Heilmer confirms his team is constantly thinking about such a car. But dreaming isn’t enough. They need the right moment, free resources, and a green light from BMW Group. So far, none of the stars have aligned. The car isn’t being prepared for launch — but nobody has buried the idea, either.
The original BMW M1 was built from 1978 to 1981 and remains the brand’s only true mid-engine supercar. Since then, Munich has come close twice. In 2008, the Hommage concept appeared — the planned V10 production version never made it. In 2019, the Vision M Next followed: a hybrid with a turbocharged inline-six, around 600 hp, zero to 100 km/h in three seconds. According to the source, the project was seriously aimed at production, but the pandemic and fear of costs killed it.
Separately, BMW M is currently working on a low-volume “dream car” for collectors. The company won’t confirm a direct connection to an M1 revival. So among the sports cars of 2026, a potential heir to the legend stays exactly where it’s been for the past forty-five years. In the dreams of BMW M’s leadership.