2011 BMW 1 SERIES

The BMW 1M is considered by many M fans to be the best M car to come out of Munich during the first half of the 2010s decade. An immediate hit with the press and enthusiasts alike, it was claimed by the then Top Gear team (Clarkson-era) to be the best car since the mk1 Golf GTi. And owners don’t seem to disagree – nor did the market, with resale prices quickly outstripping the new car forecourt price – an almost unheard-of occurrence. Only 450 1M coupes were made for the UK RHD market, and they were so oversubscribed that BMW staff and network customers were stripped of their allocations to provide cars for a list of celebrity orders. Compact, powerful, and as lively as a box of inebriated frogs, the M1 was a fabulous way to launch BMW M into the turbocharged era, immediately embarrassing those who said that turbos were the beginning of the end. The 1M was so good, so versatile, that most of them ran up significant mileage when new – they made a brilliant and practical, infinitely usable daily drive. This particular car has a relatively low number of owners compared to most 1Ms – the popularity of the 1M is with good reason, but it did mean that some cars changed hands more than the average, as speculators and short term owners found them irresistible.

Only produced in manual and pushing out 335 horsepower from the M-tuned N55 powerplant, the 1M was the last M car to use hydraulic steering, making it one of the last true enthusiast’s M cars of the era. One look at those bulging arches and fat rear end, with its angry quad pipes and squat stance, tells you all you need to know. Not a car for the faint of heart…as you’ll see from this clip from Clarkson’s Top Gear (which certainly helped BMW sell out at the time)

The reality is that with the benefit of a little hindsight, the 1M really does belong in the part of the M hall of fame usually associated with the preceding generation(s). Despite being the first production turbo M car (if you don’t count the 2002) the 1M still retained bags of character, and is an absolute hoot to drive, even today, up against the later, more powerful generations of M car that appear faster on paper. They have also proved to be very well made and robust even as they age, making them very cost-effective to run and own.

This particular 1M is a really lovely car. Finished in signature (and at the time 1M-only) Valencia Orange – which was also the launch colour – and black leather interior with contrasting orange stitching, which stands out all the more with an orange car, the interior and paintwork is in superb condition, and has clearly been very well cared for all of its life. Fully serviced according to BMW’s recommended schedules, and fully inspected by our technical team – who agree that it is one of the best mid-mileage 1Ms they’ve ever seen – this is the perfect car for a collector/enthusiast who also wants a car that can be driven without massively affecting the value.

For more information on this lovely car, or to book a viewing (by appointment only please) please email our showroom team