BMW 1 Series M Review

Old-school driving enthusiasts who pine for the days of lightweight European sports cars will find a lot to like in the BMW 1 Series M Coupe. That's because this smallest member of BMW's high-performance M lineup illustrates the truth of that old saw about how "less is more."

Its 3.0-liter six-cylinder that produces 335 horsepower would seem far less impressive than the fire-breathing motors found in other M-badged cars, but with twin turbos and less weight to lug around, it still manages to match muscle cars at the drag strip. Better still, with suspension, steering and brakes adapted from the M3, the 1 M nearly matches its esteemed bigger sibling's handling ability. More significant, however, may be the fact that you'll need a lot less dough to park a 1 Series M Coupe in your driveway, thanks to an MSRP that's well below that of the M3.

There are downsides, of course, starting with the fact that BMW expects to produce the 1 Series M Coupe in extremely limited numbers. That it will also only be available with a manual gearbox is also sure to disappoint a few poseurs. Finally there's the styling, which certainly isn't what anyone would describe as pretty. All that aside, though, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe offers proof of the counterintuitive notion that sometimes a little less car can be a whole lot more fun.

Current BMW 1 Series M Coupe
The BMW 1 Series M Coupe debuted for the 2011 model year. Based on the regular BMW 1 Series coupe, the 1 M is offered in a single body style and one well-equipped trim level. Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that cranks out a healthy 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque that can be momentarily boosted to 368 lb-ft via an overboost button. A six-speed manual is the only transmission offered.

The 1 Series M Coupe comes with a long list of upscale standard features including 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive xenon headlights, 10-way adjustable manual sport seats, leather upholstery and suedelike Alcantara trim, dual-zone automatic climate control and a premium sound system. An optional Convenience package adds rear parking sensors, keyless ignition/entry, a navigation system and the iDrive electronics interface. An available Premium package includes auto-dimming power-folding outside mirrors, power seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth and an iPod/USB audio interface. Some of these items are available as stand-alone options along with heated front seats, satellite radio and a premium Harman Kardon audio system.

The 1 Series M Coupe's passenger cabin isn't quite up to the quality of more expensive BMWs, but its leather upholstery, contrasting orange stitching and Alcantara trim spruce things up nicely. The front sport seats offer a good combination of comfort and support in spirited driving, and believe it or not, the standard manual seats offer greater adjustability. The backseats are a tight squeeze, but the trunk offers a surprising amount of room for a car this size.

While all that practical stuff is fine, it's the coupe's performance that's obviously the main attraction. While it doesn't wail away to a high-strung redline like other M engines, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder produces a great deal of torque and benefits from magnificent midrange power. In our track testing, the 1 M hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds -- practically equal to the M3.

The car's light weight and retuned suspension give the car a distinct sense of agility and a stable attitude in hard cornering, while large cross-drilled disc brakes at all four corners provide abundant stopping power. The quickened steering ratio and the transmission's short throws add to the feeling of precision in a wide variety of driving conditions. Unlike some high-performance models, the 1 Series M Coupe is easy to drive at normal commuting speeds, and its surprisingly comfortable ride quality help make it a realistic daily driver.