One to Buy: ex-Project Four Racing / Steve O'Rourke 1979 BMW M1 Procar
Although production delays over at Lamborghini who had been commissioned to handle development and assembly meant the M1’s homologation into Group 4 and 5 was rubber stamped two years late, BMW’s innovative solution to get the car racing for the ‘79 season ironically gave the company even more exposure than had originally been anticipated.
What head of BMW Motorsport, Jochen Neerspach, came up with was a one-make Procar series that supported most European rounds of the 1979 and ‘80 Formula 1 World Championship. The fastest five F1 drivers in first practice would be allocated the top five Procar grid slots with the rest of the fieldgrid made up of anyone who stumped up enough cash to buy their own car.
Big prize money, massive exposure and being involved in the F1 circus resulted in a sea of the spectacular M1 Procars competing at every round with a mix of established professionals, upcoming youngsters and gentleman privateers behind the wheel.
Currently on offer at the Dylan Miles showroom in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, is arguably the most famous M1 Procar of all: chassis 4301028.
Purchased by Ron Dennis at Project Four Racing for two-time F1 champion Niki Lauda to drive, chassis 4301028 contested all eight Procar races in 1979. Wins at Monaco, Silverstone and Hockenheim plus a second place at Monza meant Lauda finished the season as champion on 78 points.
The car was then driven by John Watson and Jochen Mass to fourth overall and third in class at the end-of-season Kyalami 1000km.
Chassis 4301028 subsequently picked up another two wins in the 1980 Procar series thanks to Hans-Joachim Stuck, after which it was sold to Pink Floyd manager Steve O’Rourke and converted to Group 5 specification. In this configuration, the car collected two class wins from eight World Sportscar Championship outings (at the 1981 Silverstone 6 Hours and Brands Hatch 1000km).
Chassis 4301028 has more recently reverted to its 1979 Procar trim and is offered in excellent original condition throughout.
Reprinted below is Dylan Miles’ description:
Price: SOLD
Engine Size: 3453cc
No. of Cylinders: 6
BHP: 470
Number Made: 49
We are extremely proud to have sold one of the most significant and original BMW racing cars in existence, the 1979 Championship Winning BMW M1 Procar of Niki Lauda/ Project 4 (McLaren) Racing.
This incredible machine dominated the 1979 Procar Series at the hands of Niki Lauda, ran by Ron Dennis’ team Project 4 Racing (which later merged with McLaren in 1980) With outright wins at Monaco, Silverstone and Hockenheim by Lauda, the car was then raced by Hans-Joachim Stuck in the 1980 Procar Championship where he finished third in the championship, winning at again Monaco and Norisring.
The car was sold at the end of the 1980 season to EMKA productions (Pink Floyd Management Company) to compete in the World Endurance Championship, scoring a 2nd overall at the Silverstone World Championship race in 1981, 3rd at the Brands Hatch 1000km and competed in both the 1981 and 1982 editions of 24 Hours of Le Mans in Group 5 specification, ran by Michael Cane Racing driven by Derek Bell and Steve O’Rourke, manager of Pink Floyd.
Without doubt the most significant race car I have ever had the privilege of handling and an absolute honour to be involved in the history of such an important machine.
