Iconic car 1991 BMW NAZCA M12: A Legend of the Super-Sports Car with a V12 Engine of 300 Horsepower
Believed to be unfamiliar to many, this BMW might be perceived by some as merely a past rendering.
In reality, the enigmatic BMW M12 is a car that was once crafted as a Concept car, fully functional and nearly transitioned into a pre-production model for general sale. Unfortunately, it never made it to the assembly line for the public in 1991. The BMW Nazca M12, a car designated to BMW by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Fabrizio Giugiaro, the owners of Italdesign, a renowned car design firm, intended for display at the Geneva Motor Show. In that year, the name BMW Nazca M12 was on everyone’s lips and became a headline sensation.
Italdesign, a design house that has been producing iconic designs from the past to the present, has countless legendary works under its belt. From the 1976 Lotus Esprit, 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, 1984 Saab 9000, 2004 Maserati MC12, Nissan GT-R 50, to even Bugatti, all have sought the design expertise of the Giugiaro lineage.
It is this very lineage that designed the iconic 1978 BMW M1, a valuable gem of BMW. Hence, some details within the M12 resonate with the M1, particularly the shared silhouette. Despite the minimalist appearance, the M12 concealed functionalities aimed at enhancing driving performance, with a mid-engine layout. Underneath its carbon-fiber Supercar-style body, measuring 4.37 meters long and 1.99 meters wide, lies the heart of the M12, a 5-liter V12 engine with 300 horsepower tuned by Alpina, derived from the BMW 750i and 850i, proudly displayed mid-rear, showcasing its formidable power under the panorama-style cockpit glass, designed to optimize aerodynamic efficiency with a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.26, and hovering a mere 1.10 meters from the ground, making it a body that can imaginatively grip the road even at high speeds through curves.
A significant highlight is the gullwing-style upward-opening glass roof structure, integrating into the overall design, providing occupants with a panoramic view, separate from the conventional split doors, showcasing Italdesign’s signature complexity, yet simultaneously posing production challenges due to the sleek curvature required to match the greenehouse roof.
Regrettably, the BMW Nazca M12 never went into actual production due to economic challenges at the time. The entirety of its details escalated its production costs to the point where BMW deemed it unprofitable.
It’s like a piece of art on wheels born out of sync with its time. However, there are rumors that it was once produced as a special edition for customers of the caliber of the Sultan of Brunei, including both brothers, totaling two cars. In 2011, one M12 was sold, fetching a staggering price of 35.5 million baht.
