AS far as BMW die-hards and many petrolheads are concerned this is one of the most important models to be launched in SA this year. The latest model to wear an M badge rolled off the ship and straight into CAR’s garage so that we can bring you this scoop test. This newcomer is based on the 1 Series Coupé, but as expected of a car that bears the sought-after M badge, there is a lot more going on than meets the eye.
From a visual aspect, the 1 M (as we shall call it to save on ink) is an absolute assault on the ocular sense. If you think the pictures make it look pumped up and outlandish then just wait until you gaze at it in the metal.
That body kit is so wide – a full 55 mm wider than a standard 135i – that one has to be conscious of the rear fenders when trying to sneak through narrow gaps or negotiate tight parking garages. The overall look is so over-the-top that some of our test team commented it looks like a caricature of a 1 Series – as if it drove straight off the pages of a comic book and Mighty Mouse could be climbing out of the driver’s seat.
Aero’ optimised side mirrors and the now trademark M gills in the front fenders bolster the profile and four chrome tailpipes protrude from the rear bumper. The wide body and numerous air strakes are almost an aside to the extremely wide (9-inch front/10-inch rear) 19-inch alloys; they are simply gargantuan. Even when viewed in motion from a distance one can notice that the alloys are monstrous. The 1M is clearly not intended for shy retiring types that prefer to travel incognito, then.
In contrast with the stocky exterior, the cabin treatment is subdued. There are a few subtle touches such as Alcantara inserts, a fatter M-stitched steering wheel, bespoke dials and gear knob, but apart from those few adornments one would be hard pressed to tell this apart from any other 1 Series Coupé.
Apart from the stiffer-thannormal clutch pedal, the 1 M is amazingly refined in normal driving conditions. But give it a bootful of throttle and you’ll soon realise you’re not in Kansas anymore. Somehow, BMW engineers have managed to retain the smooth basso profundo of a normally aspirated in-line six, which increases in pitch as it races to the red line with alacrity. The 1 M spears towards to the horizon with a level of ferocity that few, if any cars in this class or at this price point can match. From standstill we recorded a 100 km/h sprint time of 5,1 seconds, fractionally off BMW’s claim of 4,9. No automated launch control is needed either, just a decent sense of throttle modulation and a snappy shift from first to second.
Even more impressive was the standing kilometre sprint time of 24,44 seconds with a terminal speed of over 216 km/h. The straight-line performance comes courtesy of the impressive outputs derived from a massaged version of BMW’s award-winning twin-turbocharged 3,0-litre motor. The data sheets quote maximum power as 250 kW and even more impressive is the peak torque of 450 N.m rising to 500 on overboost. And maximum twist is not produced in a peaky manner either, you can ride the wave of 450 N.m from 1 500 to 4 500 r/min, which makes it a devastating instrument on the open road. The in-gear acceleration times are astounding; 60 to 120 km/h in fifth gear takes less than 8 seconds.
Thanks to direct injection the 1 Mutilises a high – for a force-fed car – 10,2:1 compression ratio, which would account for the plateau of torque, but thankfully the 1 M is not some unruly tuner special that has oodles of power but little finesse, quite the opposite! Power is directed to the rear axle via a traditional six-speed manual gearbox. There are no namby-pamby shift paddles here. A precise short throw gear shift action makes cog swapping a driver’s delight, and for those who are adept at heel-toe manoeuvres, the pedals are placed perfectly.
Those fat Michelin Pilot Sports work hard in conjunction with the all-independent suspension to provide extremely high levels of grip. The front end unerringly goes where you point it via the quick steering action. And thanks to the short wheelbase and relative lack of mass up front – the engine is all-alloy in construction – 1 M achieves a near perfect 50:50 weight distribution.
On turn in it feels almost midengined as the body appears to sashay around the driver’s waist. The rear follows obediently and, provided you are not ham-fisted with the loud pedal, the pace you can achieve and maintain is on the silly side of serious. The M differential lock helps apportion power across the rear axle as speed and conditions require. If you do happen to overstep the mark there is a full dictionary of acronyms to help save you; DSC, ASC, CBC, ABS, DBC, RSVP, you name it this car has it. It would take a brave and probably foolhardy driver to deactivate the electronic driver aids on public roads.
With so much torque on tap the likelihood of getting into a “situation” is pretty high. The level of electronic interference isn’t too invasive though, with just a flickering light warning of your flirtation with the laws of physics. Should you carry a little too much speed into a corner you can trim your line by easing off the gas.
The motor is extremely responsive to throttle movements, despite being turbocharged. Keen drivers are presented with the option of even sharper throttle response via an “M” button on the steering wheel. There is also M Dynamic Mode, which delays interference from the electronic nanny, but does not really allow for proper broadside showboating. If the need really arises, the brakes are phenomenal and made quick work of our ten-stop brake test routine where it averaged just 2,59 seconds in repeated stops from 100 km/h.
One of the few gripes we have about the 1 M is the inert steering feel. While there is an abundance of front end grip the helm does not communicate accurately where the grip threshold is. Considering the performance potential and road holding abilities the ride quality is exemplary. On the cruise one would not guess the low-profile of the tyres and apart from lowering the overall mass, it seems that the extensive use of aluminium in the suspension has paid off handsomely in the comfort stakes, too. It is only a mid-corner ridge that can send the 1 M’s rear end into a shimmy.
TEST SUMMARY
We have lavished praise on the 1 Series M Coupé, but it really is that good. There are very few, if any, areas to fault this car. The ride can get a little fidgety, but that is expected of any sportscar shod with low profile rubber. Some may consider the pricetag a tad high but then you realise its performance abilities and the comparative price of its main rivals and suddenly over half a million rand for a 1 Series seems to make … well, sense!
We really hope that all of the 64 1 Series M Coupé models destined for SA will land in the hands of real enthusiasts and those endowed with sharp driving skills, and not posers or boy racers that will modify or drag race the cars. This is a car that begs to be driven properly and will entertain, reward and excite owners for many thousands of happy miles.
