[rallyhub]

The M1 was rarely used as a rally car. Bernard Darniche debuted with it in the Rallye Du Var 1981, but had to leave the event with a broken suspension.
The following year he took part in several French tarmac events with the by Oreca racing team prepared big BMW. During the Tour de Corse he was laying fourth when an oil pipe broke. He also went to Belgium for the Ypres 24 hour Rally and he even took part in the German Rallye Vorderpfalz.
It must have been a huge surprise for the German spectators to see not one, but two of these 430 hp M1s in action during that event.
The second M1 was driven by German rally driver Klaus Fritzinger, who drove from 1974 till 1991 rallies for Toyota in Germany, and regularly finished into the top 20 of the Rallye Monte Carlo with these Japanese cars.
He would drive the BMW M1, sponsored by Marchal Jeans, only once during the German event. A racing BMW M1 was converted especially for him for this rally.
He had also pulled off a similar stunt in 1980 by renting a Lancia Stratos for the Hunsrück Rallye. Unfortunately, the car turned out to be more difficult to drive than expected due to the short wheelbase. He could only finish seventh overall.
But with the blue BMW M1 he scored a lot better, finishing second behind the Audi Quattro of Harald Demuth. Bernard Darniche finished 9th overall.
Fly has already produced the Rallye Du Var 1981 (no 2) and the Tour de Corse 1982 (no 10) version of the Darniche BMW M1.
They also did the Tour de Corse 1983 M1 (no 3) of Frenchman Bernard Beguin, who drove the M1 during the French Rally Championship in 1983 and 1984.
Here are a few photos of the Rallye Vorderpfalz 1982 BMW M1:

Hub

       

       

[Kevan]

It was expensive and uncompetitive (in the 1:1 scale world)...but my favourite Fly Rally car, also the most competitive standard car I have (for cars with no pod, original plastic wheels, no aftermarket parts whatsoever other than tyres and ballast...NON mag of course!).

[rallyhub]

It is recommended to replace the plastic pinion with a brass one.

       

[Kevan]

Mines still got the original gears, motor, wheels & guide and regularly get's used on Rally nights 

[rallyhub]

To complement the BMW M1 theme, here are two photos of the other Fly M1 rally versions:

       
Rallye Du Var 1981, Darniche...                                                                                                     ...Tour de Corse 1982, Darniche and Tour de Corse 1983, Beguin.

[Kevan]

[Kevan]

[rallyhub]

Beautiful sound of the naturally aspirated 3.5 liter straight-six cylinder engine.

       

[Scuderia_Turini]

I have a soft-spot for M1s and have several including the Flieschmann car :-)

This is one of my favourites:-