Thursday 7th October 2010

BMW 1-Series M - The Tease Continues

BMW does some more almost-unveiling of its forthcoming hot 1-series

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Teaser campaigns for new cars are getting ever more bizarre, but few could be more obtuse than BMW's latest set of pics for its eagerly anticipated 1-series M.

Rather than going down the obvious route and revealing the car at the Paris motor show in all its quad tail-piped, Y-spoke-wheeled glory, BMW took the car to Paris (but not to the motor show) and took the wraps off (but only bits).

Now, we love a fast BMW as much as the next man, and we look forward to having a look (and hopefully a go in) the hot 1-series with its circa 350bhp turbocharged six very much, but BMW really is trying our patience with its teaser campaign.

Especially when the latest pictures include a particularly smug-looking gentleman and lady, whose expressions seem to say: "we've driven this and you haven't. Ha ha."

Grrr.

 

 

 

 

[BelperJim]

From what little I can see it looks muscly and well proportioned.

Show us the whole car already!

[dave stew]

"Especially when the latest pictures include a particularly smug-looking gentleman and lady, whose expressions seem to say: "we've driven this and you haven't. Ha ha."

That's the French for you! Nice looking car - maybe we are finally getting back to (comparatively) light and compact again. The wheels are lovely, too.

[Wadeski]

That looks rather excellent. Shame they couldnt evolve the previous straight six from the E46 (direct injection and a bit more displacement would have surely seen the best part of 400 ponies?), and i bet the price will be horrific, but this should be a cracker.

the 1-coupe is a great size too, much less bargelike than even the new 3er.

[LuS1fer]

I really don't like any of the current BMW styles but there is a certain charm, a deliberate pug-ugliness about the 1 series coupe akin to the Saab 94/96 or Citroen Ami, sort of like a fighting bulldog, ugly yet purposeful. Like a bulldog, the looks do need to be offset by a stocky and purposeful stance and this car has that in spades.

I think it could be the one BMW I'd actually like to own (subject to silly prices etc) and to vaunt it's ugliness as part of it's allure rather than detest it for being a styling failure.

I'd want far less fussy wheels though.

Edited by LuS1fer on Thursday 7th October 12:38

[Great Pretender]

That's going to be a very dangerous predator with a remap.

[edo]

she could have it. Ahem.

[evenflow]

Love this. Concept is very sound and from what I've seen so far, I'm a big fan of the looks.

[edo]

They are in slight danger of making such a big deal of it that it may not be able to live up to the hype.

[Riggers]

edo said:

They are in slight danger of making such a big deal of it that it may not be able to live up to the hype.

Quite. But it does help people to forget that this is the company that also makes the abominations that are the X5M and (shudder) the X6M.

[CO2000]

"Especially when the latest pictures include a particularly smug-looking gentleman"

Looks like a de-tanned Gavin Henson !

[MarJay]

Want.

[snorkel sucker]

it'll need to be good; a 135i with a map will be as near as dammit in the oommpphh stakes. Its a shame BMW havent used this opportunity to head in a different direction with their m-cars.

The aforementioed 135i is the car for those who want performance and luxury in the range. The m version should be all about saving weight and heightening driver involvement. Ditch the rear seats, lower the weight, use this to stick some softer springs and dampers on and it would be perfect for UK roads, and worthy of the m badge.

Still, a good car im sure it will be. Me? I'll stick with my plan to get a 135i in 18months time, give it a remap and get rid of the run flats.

[DanBMW]

I WANT ONE!!

[Dagnut]

what a pointless exercise... that disguise is about as effective as Mel Gibson's fake moustache

[Speed_Demon]

Need, just need.

[Dagnut]

snorkel sucker said:

it'll need to be good; a 135i with a map will be as near as dammit in the oommpphh stakes. Its a shame BMW havent used this opportunity to head in a different direction with their m-cars.

The aforementioed 135i is the car for those who want performance and luxury in the range. The m version should be all about saving weight and heightening driver involvement. Ditch the rear seats, lower the weight, use this to stick some softer springs and dampers on and it would be perfect for UK roads, and worthy of the m badge.

Still, a good car im sure it will be. Me? I'll stick with my plan to get a 135i in 18months time, give it a remap and get rid of the run flats.

Since when have M cars been about saving weight? You'll have to wait for the CSL version or more likely a stupidly priced low run GTS version

[Janosh]

Teasing and smugness aside - what they've shown looks great!

[nickpan]

Great Pretender said:

That's going to be a very dangerous predator with a remap.

335d.

[ploz]

The gaffer tape look on the head lights is new and...er...interesting?

[8400rpm]

It looks like a 135i with CSL wheels.