The rumors of an upcoming performance version of BMW’s 1-Series have been rampant for well over a year, with “sources” saying BMW would make an “M1,” while others have said they wouldn’t.
Early spy shots showed a lack of quad tailpipes, suggesting that any type of M designation wouldn’t be possible. Eventually, our spies caught up with a properly quad-piped 1-Series M Coupe – which is what BMW announced today is what this vehicle will be officially known as.
Over the course of the development of what we now finally have confirmed to be the 1-Series M Coupe, Leftlane’s spies have managed to capture several sets of photos of this high-performance BMW 1-Series in a BMW test facility, on the race track and on the road.
Why the range-topping 1-Series couldn’t be the M1
“The M1 name to us is a sacred thing for a car that marked an important turning point. It won’t be called the M1,” a source previously told Leftlane. Because of the known heritage behind the M1, Leftlane has long expected the moniker to become what we now know it to be.
“The M1 name to us is a sacred thing for a car that marked an important turning point. It won’t be called the M1,” a source previously told Leftlane. Because of the known heritage behind the M1, Leftlane has long expected the moniker to become what we now know it to be.
The previous spy photos and illustration also clearly show off the wide-body fenders front and rear, including an aggressive front spoiler, larger wheels and massive brakes with drilled discs – all pointing to a 1-Series M. While BMW itself has the subcompact premium market nicely covered with the twin-turbo, in-line six-cylinder 135i (and even the 123d for Europe) coupe, Leftlane’shighly-placed sources have all along insisted the next-generation 1-Series will have a high-speed M flagship.
What we know to date
Aside from teasing the world with its latest video, BMW has officially revealed virtually nothing about the upcoming 1-Series M Coupe. What we do know is that complete details should be coming “before Christmas,” with models arriving in dealers during the first half of 2011.
Aside from teasing the world with its latest video, BMW has officially revealed virtually nothing about the upcoming 1-Series M Coupe. What we do know is that complete details should be coming “before Christmas,” with models arriving in dealers during the first half of 2011.
It’s not likely to carry over the M3’s screaming V8 engine, though. Sources tellLeftlane that it will probably develop the 135i’s straight-six to punch out around the 330 hp mark. The baby M should also line up against the next AudiS3, which would pitch its pricing at around the €35,000 mark in Europe, or probably $10,000 less than the next-generation M3 in North America.
Not coming to the U.S.?
What is conspicuously missing from BMW’s latest release is a mention of the North American market, with its website asking potential customers to sign-up for more details even clarifying that it is only for German and Austrian drivers – which may or may not be an indication of which markets BMW intends to offers its smallest M-series vehicle.
What is conspicuously missing from BMW’s latest release is a mention of the North American market, with its website asking potential customers to sign-up for more details even clarifying that it is only for German and Austrian drivers – which may or may not be an indication of which markets BMW intends to offers its smallest M-series vehicle.
