Tuesday 29th January 2013

PH Blog: the best M3? It's the 1 M!

Back to back with M3 royalty the M Coupe is the cheeky little terrier that embarrasses them all

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As mentioned in the original story, the amazing but expensive BMW M3 CRT driven for these pages recently was tested alongside a whole bunch of other M cars at the Nurburgring GP track. A fleeting taste perhaps but pushing cars like the CRT and GTS to their limits for a few laps was an incredible experience. But they weren't the only M3s on offer.

CSL a breath of fresh air among the V8s

The oldest car present in that line-up was an E46 M3 CSL, a very special car indeed. The E90 and E92 generation machines were represented by standard M3s, competition packs and the specials I've already mentioned above. But nestling amongst the queue of M3s was a metallic orange interloper, a little 1 M Coupe.

Amongst the banquet of big V8s, the CSL and 1 M were beautiful palate-cleansers. Precision instruments. The CSL was, of course, awesome. The noise from the airbox, the poise of it's four-square chassis ready to grip and grip. But still sadly let down (in my personal opinion) by the standard brakes and SMG gearbox. The brakes simply don't cut it on a racetrack, and neither does the SMG.

While I grudgingly accept that systems like the DCT (with its double-clutch and instant changes) make cars better and faster, I still think the SMG of the CSL creates more problems than it solves for a competent driver. Turn it up to 'harsh' and it bangs the hell out of the diff and cooks its own fluids. Turn it down to soft and it drags on the clutch like an OAP with an overdue hip replacement.

What's that in the GTS's mirrors?

So, the best 'M3' that really took the honours in this group was ... the 1 M! Back to back with the other machines it ticked all the right boxes. Small. Manual gearbox. Proper brakes.

In short, it was brilliant. Though the six-cylinder turbo noise could never compete with the naturally-aspirated war cry of the carbon-airboxed CSL, the actual power delivered was more than enough to keep up with the 450hp monsters we were on track with.

The torque at low revs was enough to freak out the electric nannies with only the smallest of throttle openings. And then the mid-range, rapidly throwing the needle into a breathless top-end, shift after shift. I'd stuck a little 10hz GPS datalogger on the windscreen of every car I drove, including the GTS and CSL. Everytime I exited Ford-kehre and accelerated towards the hairpin, I was checking my peak speed at the braking point. The GTS scored 192km/h, the little 1M? 186km/h. Only 6km/h slower for about one third of the price. And unlike the CSL it had brakes that worked lap after lap.

Loads of torque and good brakes - unlike M3s

And it has a manual, six-speed 'box. Which is just essential for those of us who've invested far too much time and effort into the art of shifting on a racetrack. A button that does an instant downshift with perfect rev-matching and double declutching is scornful, not inspirational.

I'm sure the purists will disagree, but I reckon the 1 Series M Coupe might just have been the best M3 there. Judging by the way they hold their value , the market at large just might agree with the cheapest one in the PH classifieds commanding a smidge over £35K. What do you think?

Dale

 

 

[Pookster]

Dale, we're going to have words you and me. Tut tut.

[Itsallicanafford]

...the CSL is nearly 10 years older than the others on test, but still on the pace (SMG issues aside)...when are these going to be £50K upwards for a good one?

[tomwoodis]

I think you're right. Proof if ever it was needed that smaller, lighter cars with a decent wedge of power is clearly the way we'd like all the manufacturers to go!

[Lazygraduate]

Wasn't there a sort of CSL-lite version called the CS, with three pedals but retaining most of the suspension and engine mods of the CSL?

Love the looks of the 1M though- so agressive!

[Jamesp24]

CSL without CSL wheels = criminal.

[JayEll]

Jamesp24 said:

CSL without CSL wheels = criminal.

This ^^

[roystinho]

Hate the fact the 1M is so good as doubt it will ever fall into my price bracket. I'd have one over any M3 for the reasons outlined in the article (except perhaps an E30 EVO)

[Baryonyx]

Who at BMW thought the SMG gearbox would be a good idea in the CSL? What a stupid way to ruin an otherwise brilliant car. The 1M has the right idea though. It makes the current M3 look very lacklustre.

The most important aspect of it? Small with a manual gearbox.

[will261058]

Jamesp24 said:

CSL without CSL wheels = criminal.

Agreed those CSL wheels are the swingers! CSL looks dull without them though strangely I dont think the stock M3 looks dull with the normal wheels

[will261058]

I think the 1M looks fantastic. Amazingly I have yet to see one in the flesh!

[Baryonyx]

Jamesp24 said:

CSL without CSL wheels = criminal.

They'll have been nicked by some scruff to put on a diesel 3 series, no doubt.

[Mr2Mike]

PH said:

M Coupe is the cheeky little terrier

"Ugly little mutt" would be a more accurate description

[cidered77]

will261058 said:

I think the 1M looks fantastic. Amazingly I have yet to see one in the flesh!

seen only one - which sparked my interest on maybe the Megane 265 not being the automatic replacement car choice this summer. they look "mean" in real life, one of those cars than looks so much more purposeful than pictures alone can tell. love the fact also that everyone I show it too thinks its an ugly thing - kind of adds to the appeal!

Either getting a used 1m, a M135i, or the Megane - each have their pros and cons, all offer something slightly different, and depending on the day, each one can be the favorite.

today after this article i'm getting me a 1m!

[jamespink]

At last the truth! How refreshing that someone has voiced my own thoughts of many years, namely the exotic cars costing fortunes are never as much fun as an affordable competent car, since you never really spank your own really expensive one for fear of blowing it up or rolling it into a ball... Hence a 10 year old M3/M5 is more fun (every day) than a £100k exotic. And you also have £90k in the bank!

[em177]

Baryonyx said:

Jamesp24 said:

CSL without CSL wheels = criminal.

They'll have been nicked by some scruff to put on a diesel 3 series, no doubt.

Will be track tyres on the wheels shown I'd imagine.

[FamilyDub]

article said:

While I grudgingly accept that systems like the DCT.. make cars better and faster.

^^ Faster changing, yes. 'Better' is subjective viewpoint.

article said:

A button that does an instant downshift with perfect rev-matching and double declutching is scornful, not inspirational.

^^ Well, are DCT boxes 'better', or 'scornful'?

FWIW, I love the 1M, I was hoping it would became familiar with our friend depreciation a bit sooner than it actually is.

[B10]

The 1M is a car I would love to own. My only niggle is that it should have been called the M1. The best of new and old. Great colour. I do not think that people would get it confused with the original M1.

[CSLmarson]

ok SMG may be clunky around town, but SMG paved the way for all your DTC systems you see today, it is ten years old now but in my opinion performs fantasticly if you know how to use it properly, its not somthing you can just pick up strait away i have been mastering mine now for the last 6 months.

yes it does pull hard on the diff and breaks your neck into gear but thats all part of the drama of driving a mythical beast like the CSL that and its ear pearcing bark fron the carbon air box !!!!!!!!!!

[Mermaid]

The only turbo charged car in that group, and also the only manual?

Now imagine the new M4 with a manual box, though DCt will also be awesome. New M5 a lot better than the old E60.

It's the turbos.

[GroundEffect]

I love my Z4M but I do often wonder how much more of a hooligan it'd be with a big fat mid-range of torque. More frantic, more terrifying