Remember the BMW M1? To mark its 30th anniversary, BMW Group Design have created an homage to the legendary super sports car as part of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2008.

The M1 designed by Giorgio Giugiaro had its origins in the BMW Turbo by Paul Bracq, a concept car which, in addition to its groundbreaking functional design, also boasted a raft of technical innovations. It is from these two unique vehicles that the BMW M1 Homage design study takes its cue.

"For a company as for a product, it is important to be aware of one’s roots. In the spirit of Giugiaro and Bracq, the BMW M1 Homage unites the BMW values of design and technology in a highly emotional and exciting interpretation," explains Christopher E. Bangle, Director Design BMW Group.

Reinterpreting the mid-engine concept from a present-day perspective, the legacy of the M1 Homage is obvious at first glance. It takes up the graphic play of the hallmark BMW M1 colours black and orange and interprets them anew — the Liquid Orange paintwork exclusively developed for the car.

Mention the BMW M1, and another feature that immediately springs to mind is the characteristic twin logo at the rear, on the right and left edge above the tail lights. For BMW, this particular arrangement of its emblems has always signalled a mid-engined model. In the development stage of the BMW M1 this dual emblem was the first styling element to be approved even before the initial sketches were drawn. Likewise, it was confirmed from the outset that the BMW M1 Homage would feature the same twin badges.

Other specific styling cues taken from the BMW M1 are the air vents in the bonnet and the louvres on the rear windscreen, as well as the black cutline dividing the roofline from the rear section of the body. Overall, the exterior dimensions of the BMW M1 Homage are in keeping with those of the BMW M1; only the extended wheelbase indicates a larger passenger cell.

Shunning the strong wedge shape of other mid-engine cars, the M1 Homage opts for BMW’s characteristic proportions: a relatively long engine compartment, a clearly defined transition into the A-pillar and a stretched window line featuring the “Hofmeister” kink instantly give it away as a BMW. The horizontal flow of lines lowers the car’s visual centre of gravity.

The front-end styling of the BMW M1 Homage adopts many of the graphic design themes of the BMW M1: the contrast between the black, recessed surfaces and the car colour, the small, squat kidney grille and the “invisible” headlamps. And yet the front of the BMW M1 Homage is an absolute novelty for BMW. Each element assumes a function: the hallmark twin kidney, for example, is not only a distinguishing feature of the brand but combines aerodynamic, cooling-air routing and safety solutions.

The design of the headlamps, meanwhile, is a new iteration of the retractable headlights of the BMW M1. Like the lamps on the historic model, those on the BMW M1 Homage are only visible when switched on. When not in use they are discreetly integrated into the front-end design and “disappear” into the recessed black cutline, almost like pop-up headlights.

That’s but one of many ways the M1 Homage pays tribute to the BMW Turbo and the M1, which in their design were well ahead of their time. Originally slated as "merely" a design study or small series, their influence remains very palpable today – 30 years on.