What is the name of the engine in the BMW M1?

The BMW M1 used the M88/1 engine. It was a 3,453 cc naturally aspirated straight-six developed by BMW’s motorsport engineers for the company’s first production car created by BMW M.

The engine featured dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, individual throttle bodies and mechanical fuel injection. In road-car form, it produced about 277 PS and drove the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. Its layout suited the M1’s mid-engine design and gave the car a distinctive high-revving character.

The M88 name can cause confusion because BMW developed several related versions. The M88/1 designation is associated with the M1, while later derivatives powered models such as the M635CSi and E28 M5. The M1 itself was hand-built from 1978 to 1981, with just 453 production cars completed, including road and racing versions.