Bmw M12 F1 Car
By the Editorial Staff
March 16, 2026
The BMW M12/13 turbo was a 1,499.8 cc four-cylinder turbocharged Formula One engine, based on the standard BMW M10 engine introduced in 1961, and powered the F1 cars of Brabham, Arrows and Benetton. A Formula One engine build around a block used in mass-produced cars, the turbocharged M12/13 is the most powerful engine ever produced by BMW. Discover the story of the BMW M12/13, an ordinary road car engine transformed into F1's most powerful turbo.
Learn how it won the 1983 title. This tiny 1.5-litre, four-cylinder engine born from a humble road car block, became the most powerful engine ever to race in F1. Under the visionary leaders.
Firey, unreliable, and incredibly impressive, BMW's M12/M13 engine helped define the most excessive era in Formula One, and it did it all with a block from a humble road car. The M10 from a BMW 1500 Neue Klasse was what laid the foundation for the M12/M13. BMW M12 engine The BMW M12/13 turbo 1500 cc 4-cylinder turbocharged Formula One motor, based on the standard BMW M10 engine introduced in 1961, powered the F1 cars of Brabham, Arrows and Benetton and won the world championship in 1983.
As BMW M12, the engine design since the 1960s became one of the most successful engines in racing. Between 1973 and 1984, BMW M12/7 powered cars would go on to win 6 Formula 2 championships in total, making it the most successful engine of the 2000cc F2 era. In 1977 and with just 12 weeks of development, BMW replaced its Group 5, 3.0L CSL touring car with an all.
This car, driven by Niki Lauda, utilized the M12 engine to secure a memorable victory in the 1978 season. March 782 - Another notable Formula One car, the March 782, also featured the M12 engine, proving its versatility and competitiveness in the high. BMW's most powerful engine, the 1986 BMW M12/13/1.
A 1.5 litre, turbocharged inline 4 that was said to produce around 1400 HP in qualifying trim. The most powerful engine in F1 history. BMW also supplied the M12/13 on a customer basis to the ATS, Arrows, Benetton and Ligier teams during this period, with various degrees of success.
In 1988, Brabham temporarily withdrew from the sport and BMW withdrew its official backing from the engines, which were still used by the Arrows team under the Megatron badge.