RE: BMW 1 Series M Coupe: PH Heroes
Discussion
Guvernator said:
it never feels M car special and is thoroughly outclassed in the excitement stakes by the scintillating straight 6 NA in the CSL. The noise alone is on another planet for the older car.
I have an S54 engine in my current car and it is undoubtedly the best engine I've ever driven. I can't comment on the N54 but I do prefer an NA engine. The sticking point with the CSL for me (and again this is only speculation) might be the gearbox. Looks wise I actually really like the 1M, very squat and broad shouldered. So for me it would be a close call I reckon. clowesy said:
I have an S54 engine in my current car and it is undoubtedly the best engine I've ever driven. I can't comment on the N54 but I do prefer an NA engine. The sticking point with the CSL for me (and again this is only speculation) might be the gearbox. Looks wise I actually really like the 1M, very squat and broad shouldered. So for me it would be a close call I reckon.
I had an e46 M3 (not CSL) and own a 1M: the 1M is more fun than the e46 in every single way except the engine. The mid-range grunt is convenient (for tractability and for hooliganism), but the noise and tingle of wringing out an S54 engine is much missed...
Silverbullet767 said:
GroundEffect said:
I have a 335i with the N54 and it's a lovely engine. OK I'm down 30PS on the 1M but since I'm only 50-60kg heavier it still goes pretty damn well. And the noises it makes are childishly brilliant.
Snap, get a JB4 installed and it's no longer down on power compared to the 1M, mine is running 373bhp. Even more childishly brilliant! 
I may get the BMW Performance Power Kit for it to take it to 330PS ish.
Don't doubt they are exciting. A lot of power in a little package...
For me though, the CSL is a considerably more special car. It has lots of little exotic features and geeky details that make it the more attractive longterm prospect. I imagine as a track car the longer wheelbase makes it a bit easier to hoon in too.
For me though, the CSL is a considerably more special car. It has lots of little exotic features and geeky details that make it the more attractive longterm prospect. I imagine as a track car the longer wheelbase makes it a bit easier to hoon in too.
Vee12V said:
I pretty much liked everything about this car but the engine just spoiled it for me. Fast? Yes, very fast and very capable but next to the N/A M-motors it starts to fall apart.
That's not a fair comment.Sure the E46s and E93s have magnificent engines and those cars have a little more depth to explore however the 1M drives like no other M car and the engine devotes a lot of attitude to it's overall character
For me personally the experience is an up for it attitude at every turn of the wheel with it's instant accessibility, however I also find it at times to be a beast to drive which certainly keeps the adrenalin pumping.
As much as I hated the very idea of the idea car when I first read about it, I was absolutely astonished how good it actually was once I drove it.
Perhaps I was expecting it to be terrible but 3 years plus in, it's still as fun to drive as the first day I laughed at it's silly Orange paint job and thought to myself "WTF exactly has my missus bought here".
I hope we never part with it. It's a keeper.
GroundEffect said:
Silverbullet767 said:
GroundEffect said:
I have a 335i with the N54 and it's a lovely engine. OK I'm down 30PS on the 1M but since I'm only 50-60kg heavier it still goes pretty damn well. And the noises it makes are childishly brilliant.
Snap, get a JB4 installed and it's no longer down on power compared to the 1M, mine is running 373bhp. Even more childishly brilliant! I may get the BMW Performance Power Kit for it to take it to 330PS ish.
Also, I cannot believe how loud the car is. The exhaust pops and burbles going back into 1st and the howl as you accelerate is fantastic!
Alfa159Ti said:
Never fully understood how this engine in the 1M makes such a compelling proposition and goes down such a storm with the press, whilst the same engine in the Z4 35is results in a car that gets pretty luke-warm reviews.
Strangely, the owners reviews I have read on Z4 Forum of the 35is are glowing.
I drive a 35iS and the wife has a 1M.Strangely, the owners reviews I have read on Z4 Forum of the 35is are glowing.
The two cars couldn't drive any different. The 1M feels so much more perky and alert. More urgent and alive with added sparkle.
The 35iS is an impressive top down cruiser with masses of power on tap (it handles ok too) but the 1M is just mental in comparison.
On another level even with the same engine. I really don't know how BMW made this work but it's brilliant.
From a depreciation perspective, I've been kicking myself for years for not buying one of these when they were launched.
I had the opportunity to test-drive out a pre-production example just before the launch in 2010 and, whilst I thought it was great, I just couldn't get past the fact that, specced to match the N54-engined 135i coupe I owned at the time, it was going to cost twice what I'd get if I sold the 135i. And, despite the fact that it was better than the 135i in all ways and a right giggle, it just didn't feel twice as good or fun as its junior brother. Which actually probably just tells you that the 135i is very underrated (you can get a good one for a third of the entry price to a 1M).
However, had I known that a 1M would still be worth most of that price tag three years, I would not have hesitated to get a black one.
I had the opportunity to test-drive out a pre-production example just before the launch in 2010 and, whilst I thought it was great, I just couldn't get past the fact that, specced to match the N54-engined 135i coupe I owned at the time, it was going to cost twice what I'd get if I sold the 135i. And, despite the fact that it was better than the 135i in all ways and a right giggle, it just didn't feel twice as good or fun as its junior brother. Which actually probably just tells you that the 135i is very underrated (you can get a good one for a third of the entry price to a 1M).
However, had I known that a 1M would still be worth most of that price tag three years, I would not have hesitated to get a black one.
good work boys - keep talking up those values!!
A combination of low numbers + universally great press + distinctive looks + old school manual means IMO values will always be strong for these. It'll age very well.
Am still delighted with mine - got it for £37k from main dealer on 6,500 miles in 2013, you would pay at least £4k more these days - free car!
An excuse anyway to post what is (in my own mind) the finest 2 car Pistonheads solution for a sub £45k garage. The red one takes the miles off the black one, and takes the track miles too. The black one is the "special" car for special drives. I stare at them quite a lot too.
A combination of low numbers + universally great press + distinctive looks + old school manual means IMO values will always be strong for these. It'll age very well.
Am still delighted with mine - got it for £37k from main dealer on 6,500 miles in 2013, you would pay at least £4k more these days - free car!
An excuse anyway to post what is (in my own mind) the finest 2 car Pistonheads solution for a sub £45k garage. The red one takes the miles off the black one, and takes the track miles too. The black one is the "special" car for special drives. I stare at them quite a lot too.
V8A*ndy said:
Vee12V said:
I pretty much liked everything about this car but the engine just spoiled it for me. Fast? Yes, very fast and very capable but next to the N/A M-motors it starts to fall apart.
That's not a fair comment.Sure the E46s and E93s have magnificent engines and those cars have a little more depth to explore however the 1M drives like no other M car and the engine devotes a lot of attitude to it's overall character
For me personally the experience is an up for it attitude at every turn of the wheel with it's instant accessibility, however I also find it at times to be a beast to drive which certainly keeps the adrenalin pumping.
As much as I hated the very idea of the idea car when I first read about it, I was absolutely astonished how good it actually was once I drove it.
Perhaps I was expecting it to be terrible but 3 years plus in, it's still as fun to drive as the first day I laughed at it's silly Orange paint job and thought to myself "WTF exactly has my missus bought here".
I hope we never part with it. It's a keeper.
Even with the much-needed swap out from PS3s to PSS tyres (read somewhere the PSSs were not ready at time of production, so they put the lower spec tyre on) the thing still keeps you on your toes at all times. Will flash the traction control light in all the gears with anything other than a bone dry road, most (including me) drive with the first stage of the ESC switched off so you can manage delightful little tail flicks at relatively modest speeds, but have the stability control keep you safe. Both stages are for when you are properly concentrating, or the track - without anybody behind you!
Each drive is an event - the torque is hilarious. It's easy and relatively cheap to get them past 400bhp but in truth it doesn't need it. I've done a lot of miles in a mate's 360 and honestly unless you really wring it's neck, the BMW feels faster 90% of the time.
PPPPPP said:
Impressed it has attracted so much attention..... turbo charged can work in the right package it seems. BMW got that right.
The E92 M3 would be my choice at that kind of money -£35k+.
The M3 will depreciate to £10k in a couple of years. The E92 M3 would be my choice at that kind of money -£35k+.
In 5-10 years the 1M will stay the same and likely increase in the coming years, especially as 381 becomes 300, 200 etc.
The only M3 worth buying for investment potential is the CSL at the moment.
The rest will just lose you a fortune.
This is my favourite BMW of all time...would absolutely love one!!! Cant wait for the new M2 to see if its a worthy successor. In my all time top3 BMWs with V10 M5 and the E46 M3......I know people will rave on about E30 M3s and I love those too, but IMHO those cars are just too old and slow now to be satisfy as proper performance cars...I cant imagine the 1 Series M ever feeling anything than fast, even at the rate today's performance cars are progressing at!!!
Max_Torque said:
Sampaio said:
Funny how people love this car DESPITE of how it looks
This is one of those cars that really does look better in the flesh than it ever does in the pictures! The way the rear wheels sit in the arches, and the nose down / arse up stance are classic "M car" styling signatures, that when you see these in the flesh immediately mark them out as a bit special ;-)Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff