2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe First drive

BMW 1 Series M Coupe

The 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe is a fantastically compelling machine. It has a truly brawny engine that sounds great at wide-open throttle, handles with all the precision expected of a car wearing the evocative M badge, and is super practical given its performance brief.

And, to our eyes at least, the BMW 1M looks great — even in the garish metallic orange paint scheme BMW has chosen for launch cars.

A True M Car?

Like all M cars, though, the heart of the 1 Series M Coupe is very much its engine. It Definitely Has M Power

With 335 horsepower at 5,900 rpm; the 1 Series M Coupe can't match the 414 hp of the M3 and its 4.0-liter V8. We expected the 1 Series M Coupe to be fast, but it still came as a surprise to discover just how fast it really is in a straight line. Coupled to a slick-shifting six-speed manual — the only gearbox available — the engine is tremendously effective, hauling the new M car's 3,296 pounds with real gusto.

Despite the inclusion of turbochargers, the muscular properties of the engine don't trail off beyond 4,500 rpm — the point where peak torque begins to subside. BMW claims zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.9 seconds and zero to 124 mph (200 km/h) in 17.3 seconds, but you can forget the official figures. Like all M cars, it is limited to 155 mph.

To get a better idea of the 1 Series M Coupe's real-world performance, it's better to focus on BMW's in-gear claims. Official figures suggest it'll storm from 50-75 mph in 4th gear in just 4.1 seconds

One area where the 2011 BMW 1 Series M lags the M3 is throttle response. Power delivery is another issue. With a relatively small 14-gallon (U.S.) fuel tank, though, the 1 Series M Coupe's range is not a strong point.

Better news comes from the chassis, which takes the standard 1 Series Coupe suspension geometry, but enhances it with components from the M3. The biggest change concerns the track widths, which have increased by 2.8 inches and 1.7 inches front and rear, respectively. As well as endowing the 1 Series M Coupe with a terrific stance, they also extend its dynamic properties, adding a further dimension in available grip. On public roads you're immediately aware of the heightened dynamic properties. The speed-sensitive hydraulically operated arrangement adopts a much more direct ratio (12.4:1) than the standard 1 Series Coupe (16.0:1), imbuing the 1 Series M Coupe with added response and more urgent turn-in properties. Lifted straight off the M3, they feature 14.2-inch vented and cross-drilled discs up front and 13.8-inch vented and cross-drilled discs out back. There's no denying we like the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe. Even if it doesn't have a dedicated engine or a proper name, it delivers the goods on the road.

You'll be able to spot the rare 1 Series M Coupe on the road by its far more aggressive stance, thanks to a 2.8-inch-wider front/1.8-inch-wider rear track, as well as to the sheet metal that bulges 2 inches wider to accommodate the increased footprint and the larger 19-inch wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport rubber. While this car is a 1 Series between the wheels, the 1 Series M Coupe gets unique body elements, including what BMW calls an Air Curtain System—inlets ahead of each front wheel, with an exit point just ahead of the tire. This drag-reduction system debuted on BMW's Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept car in 2009. The car coheres beautifully and just might make some current M3 owners "need" a 1M Coupe.

Tech Tidbit: Yes, the 1M's engine is gifted from the Z4is, but BMW's M brand manager for the U.S., Matt Russell, says the 1M is a superior car. This car's suspension is like an adaptive suspension tuned for the most aggressive situations." As is typical of a BMW, the clutch and six-speed gearbox put the lie to the idea that a heavy clutch and too-tight gates somehow equal sports-car attributes. This car is turbocharged, but it rarely intrudes on the magnificent inline six's dominant character.

Favorite Detail: At the highest speeds the 1M's dynamics grow a tad flighty, given its 4-inch-shorter wheelbase compared to the M3's. While the M3 gets interesting at 70 mph on the track, the lighter 1M Coupe (3362 pounds versus 3704 pounds) is a hoot even on country roads at less-than-intergalactic speeds.

The Bottom Line: BMW and Porsche have similar traditions of keeping lower-weight cars matched with just-right horsepower.

The same engine is available in the 2011 BMW Z4.

Rear-wheel driven with variable differential lock, a six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox offered, featuring an upgraded flywheel for high-torque applications.

Compared with the BMW 135i, the 1 Series M Coupe is five millimeters longer, 53 mm wider, 13 mm taller and has the same 2659 mm wheelbase. Its front track is 71mm wider, rear track is 46 mm wider and it weighs approximately 35 kilograms less.

The rear subframe and suspension components have been reconfigured for increased stiffness, and virtually every rear axle component, including the dampers, are aluminum and new for this generation of M vehicles. The front 19 x 9-inch wheels wear 245/35 tires, and at the rear the 19×10-inch wheels are fitted with 265/35 tires.

The exterior design of the 1 Series M Coupe is decidedly muscular.