It’s not every day you get the chance to purchase a vehicle that makes a standard “rare” supercar look like a common commuter. But next month, the BMW M1 “trophy” given to F1 champion Niki Lauda is heading to the auction block.
While most of us receive a plastic cup or a shiny plaque for our achievements, Lauda, the legendary Austrian driver who snatched three F1 world titles and 25 Grand Prix wins, received this 1980 BMW M1 as a reward for dominating the 1979 ProCar series.
This isn’t just one of the only 399 road-legal M1s ever produced. It is a bespoke piece of automotive history. Built specifically for Lauda, the car features a rare “ProCar-style” front spoiler and rear intake slats. It sits on staggered 16-inch white Campagnolo wheels and doubles as an official BMW Art Car, featuring a hand-painted finish by German artist Walter Maurer. If you’re going to spend a fortune, you might as well buy a masterpiece you can drive.
Inside, the cabin is a time capsule of 1980s luxury, finished in blue leather and equipped with high-tech-for-the-time amenities like air conditioning, a Becker Europa sound system, and power windows.
Under the hood, the BMW M1 houses a 3.5-liter, 24-valve inline 6-cylinder engine paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, churning out 266 HP. Remarkably, despite being 45 years old, this car has covered only 2,644 miles, suggesting that Lauda spent more time winning races than cruising to the grocery store.
Currently in excellent condition, this vehicle carries a provenance that sets it light-years apart from other survivors. It remains the only car linked to the man who won championships with both Ferrari and McLaren. Naturally, such a pedigree comes with a price tag that would make even a billionaire blink. When it hits the Mecum Kissimmee auction on January 17, 2026, it is expected to fetch between $625,000 and $675,000.
