This very cool BMW M1 barn find was someone’s supercar secret

This super-cool and ultra-rare 1981 BMW M1 was hidden away inside a garage in southern Italy for decades. 

Launched back in 1978, the BMW M1 has a striking design that sets it apart from other BMW models and really turns heads.  

It’s also one of the rarest BMWs out there – with only 453 ever produced, 53 of which were made for motorsport.

Of course, with so few models out there, it makes this lucky barn find all the more impressive. 

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The BMW M1 was in great condition

The BMW M1 was discovered in a garage, where it had been parked since 1982 – before finally being rescued more than 30 years on.

Interestingly, it’s not the first barn find BMW M1 we’ve seen – this modified one was discovered in the UK recently.

Meanwhile, this M1 ended up in the hands of Berlin-based Mint Classic with the team saying they were committed to giving it a new lease of life after so long in storage. 

The company didn’t share any details about the M1’s owner or why it ended up parked for decades, but did reveal it had been ‘stored and forgotten’.

Photos shared by Mint Classic show the bright-red motor’s hood piled up with various bits of junk, while the whole car is covered in a thick layer of dust. 

Thankfully – the car looks to be in great shape, with no obvious signs of damage or rusting.

The inside of the BMW is a true time capsule, and it appears to be in as good a state as the outside. 

Its solid condition could be partly put down to the fact that the car has just 4,500 miles (7,392km) on the clock. 

The car will be spruced up and sold on

Under the hood, the BMW M1 is fitted with a M88/1, a 3.5-liter twin-cam straight-six that produces 272 horsepower and can hit speeds of 265km/h (165mph).

Mint Classic announced that it would give the car a ‘rebirth’ before attempting to find a new owner for the ‘very special’ vehicle. 

In good working condition, this car could fetch a pretty penny at auction – thanks to its rarity. 

A few years back, Paul Walker’s BMW M1 headed to auction, and it ended up selling for more money than expected.

To think, this poor motor was just sitting forgotten about in an old garage for years.