It might be small, but this Bimmer serves up a big helping of driving enjoyment.
We all have our car love story, or maybe quite a few, but this one is about a man who revels in driving his BMW 1M Coupe. Yes, the BMW 1-Series is constantly ripped on for being too small, too cheap, too desperate-looking, or whatever else people hurl at it. Then there’s the fact the 1M wasn’t called the BMW M1 because that would be sacrilege. But if you look past all those distractions, underneath is a fantastic driver’s car, something Adrian Miles absolutely loves. Check it out.
Tracking down a BMW 1M for a good price is tricky, and for good reason. Actually, tracking one down for sale isn’t easy these days. The limited-run performance car has been heaped with all kinds of praise, with some going so far as to call it the best BMW ever made. That might be hyperbole, but nevertheless it’s pretty good, even when compared to the venerable BMW M3 E30. Miles goes so far as to compare it to the BMW 2002.
Among the car’s attributes is a shorter wheelbase than the M3, a highly-responsive chassis, and it’s actually really forgiving when you push it hard. Unlike many modern BMWs, there isn’t an overkill of electronic nannies to get in the way of having a good time, but you’re not going to plow headlong into a crowd while leaving your local Cars and Coffee.
What really makes people a believer with the 1M is when they feel that twin-turbo inline-six deliver 332 lb.-ft. of torque at a shocking 1,500 rpm. BMW even engineered an overboost function, giving a healthy torque boost to 370 lb.-ft. for about five seconds for when you really need that extra shove. The engine also makes 335-horsepower at 5,800 rpm, so it has plenty to give at higher revs.
As Miles explains, it was his grandpa who got him and his brother into cars. he went from playing around with Impala pursuit models, then had a teacher turn him on to Bimmers, which found play to his style best. Sometimes it takes driving a lot of different cars from different brands to really settle on the one for you, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
