BMW's 1 Series is due to be replaced next year, but it's going out with a bang. This
is the 1 Series M. The latest product of BMW's in-house tuning division. With 335 brake horsepower,
it's the most powerful and fastest 1 series yet, and the most expensive at 10 or less
than 40,000 pounds.
So, what do you get for your money? Well, we've come up to here to sunny Scotland to
find out. And lets start under the bonnet with this twin-turbo straight 6 engine. It's
essentially a tweaked version of the unit that is already found in the 135i. And it's
good for 0 to 60 miles an hour in a scorching 4.9 seconds.
That's 0.1 seconds slower than its bigger brother, the M3. On the outside, this car
has the air of an angry bulldog. Its aggressive body styling leaves other road users in no
doubt that you're driving something a bit special. This gaping front air dam funnels
air to that hungry M-power engine. The flared wheel arches accommodate the cars wider track
and those gorgeous 19 inch alloy wheels.
While at the back, there are no less than four drainpipe sized exhausts. You can only
buy the 1 Series M as a coupe, there's no hatchback or convertible version. And you
can have any color you like as long as it's black, white, or the rather fetching metallic
orange seen here. BMW's M division has traditionally relied on high-revving, naturally aspirated
engines.
But the quest for better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions means they're now turning
to turbo charging as a way to boost performance. Now, we've already seen turbo charged engines
in the X5 and X6 M models, and now, there's this blown 6 cylinder unit in the one series
N. What that actually means on the road is an engine that's much less peaky in its power
delivery than the V8 in the M3, with significantly more pulling power from low revs.
At any speed in any gear, the 1 Series M just goes. There's no turbo lag whatsoever. Just
effortless, addictive performance.
All 1 Series Ms come with a six-speed manual gearbox. There's no semi-automatic pedal-shift
option like on the Audi RS3. And that reinforces the idea of this car being a pure driving
machine. Tracking into a few corners and there's hardly any body roll. This thing just grips
and grips on those wider, low-profile tires.
Inside, there's space for two adults and two kids in the back, plus a boot that will swallow
a couple of golf bags. The seats are covered in leather as standard, while the dashboard
is trimmed in a suede-like material called Alcantara. Build quality is up to typical
BMW standards, but this cabin doesn't really feel special enough for a car costing 40,000
pounds.
It's also worth noting that if you want satin, as fitted to our test car, you'll have to
pay extra for it. Downsides? Well, the super quick steering can make you feel a bit fidgety
on the motorway, and the ride is very firm, although no more so than you might expect
in a car of this type. And the fact that the car is rear wheel drive means it can be a
bit of a handful in a way.
Finally, you shouldn't expect great fuel economy. BMW claims 29.4 MPG for the 1 M, but we've
managed and indicated 22 MPG on our route so far today.
CO2 emissions of 224 grams per kilometer also put this car in one of the highest bands for
car tax. Of course it's difficult to rationally justify buying a 1 series M, but after a long
drive on fantastic Scottish roads, we're tempted to try. Yes, 40,000 pounds is a lot of money
to spend on a 1 Series, especially considering that this basic car is now seven years old.
But if you also think that it's 15,000 pounds less than a M3, then it also starts to look
like good value for money. If you need another reason to consider buying one, the BMW 1 series
scores well in the Rich Car survey for reliability and owner satisfaction. Plus there's the fact
that BMW will only bring 450 of these cars to the UK, and that means it's a surefire
future classic, which means you'll get more of your money back when the time comes to
sell, and that sounds like a convincing argument to us.
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