BMW 1 Series M Safety Car debuts

Mercedes-Benz has for many years cornered the Safety Car duties for the Formula One circus, but BMW has had an equally enduring presence in the pinnacle of motorcycle racing -- the MotoGP championship.

The Bavarians are now entering their 13th year of involvement with the two-wheeled series, and at the curtain raiser at Losail in Qatar last weekend (March 19/20) it unleashed for the first time its new 1 Series M Coupe as the official Safety Car -- ahead of the model's international launch in late April.

The BMW Safety Car is a one-off built by BMW's M Division specifically for its job description, and only the 250kW straight-six M TwinPower Turbo engine and drivetrain were carried over unchanged from the production model.

Weight-saving tweaks to the Safety Car include the use of a carbonfibre-reinforced bonnet with additional air vents, as well as polycarbonate side and rear windows. Meanwhile, a special lightweight titanium race exhaust system not only saves weight but also "delivers a captivating sound for the benefit of the spectators".

Given the need to maintain a brisk pace at the high-speed circuits visited by the MotoGP series, the Safety Car also scores an adjustable rear wing to provide the requisite downforce.

Aero mods to the front include the fitment of a bespoke front apron with precisely defined ducting, and there's an additional splitter integrated on the underside of the apron.

Meanwhile, the interior gains a roll-cage bolted behind the B-pillar, a pair of Recaro racing seats, an M steering wheel in alcantara and a fire extinguisher. The rear seats are binned, in the interest of weight savings.

The suspension features an adjustable race track set-up, with the stiffened dampers independently adjustable for bump and rebound. The Safety Car rides on 19-inch rims, shod with 255/35 rubber at the front and 285/30s at the rear.

Ride height is also adjustable and the camber of the front and rear axle can be altered to suit the circuit topography. Stopping power is also uprated via a six-piston fixed-calliper racing brake system.

The 1 Series isn't the only vehicle BMW is contributing to the MotoGP series, as this year two further reserve BeeEm Safety Cars will be circulating at each track -- an X6 M and an M3.

In addition, the organising team has been given a BMW X5 M for the Safety Officer and a BMW ActiveHybrid X6 for the stewards, while on call this season as a Medical Car is a BMW 535i Touring.

Note to BMW: How about producing a limited run of road-going cars that gain the same mods as the 1 Series M Safety Car? Barring the disco lights on the roof, of course...

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