This jewel from the BMW M factory has a spectacular design, an engine with a brutal sound and a 100% effective response. Do you want to know what it feels like to drive it?
It was about time BMW cared more about weight than power. The M3 is a great car, of that there is no doubt. But it has as much power as it has weight and that takes away some of its agility. Luckily, that is an issue that his little brother, the BMW 1 Series M Coupé, the one in the test, has been in charge of solving. It weighs only 1,570 kg, due to the fact that many aluminum elements have been used in the chassis.
What has gained weight is its outward appearance. It is not just about aesthetic issues to give it a more aggressive image, but also the wheel arches have been radically widened to accommodate 1,541 mm tracks (71 more than the 135i) and the design had to be respect those measures.
It is equipped with a 340 hp in-line six-cylinder biturbo engine, whose response is as brutal as it is instantaneous. And it remains just as forceful until 7,000 laps, which is when it reaches the cut. It is linked to a six-speed manual transmission with a hard and precise touch.
It is clear that it is a car only suitable for tough guys, because it has a very firm suspension. In addition, it is the only possible alternative, because the hardness cannot be adjusted through the different parameters offered by the configuration menu.
The steering goes a step beyond the typical prop brand effectiveness. Logically, it is hard to handle when stationary, but it is spectacular for linking curves. You aim with the steering wheel, you shoot with the accelerator pedal and the tires almost catch fire if you have disconnected the DSC.
And if you press the M button on the steering wheel (it allows optimal use of the entire range of engine speeds and the engine responds faster when you step on the accelerator) that feeling is multiplied, because in this Sport mode the change in response is very evident.
Before I mentioned the stability control, but if you don’t want to play it, the MDM mode (M Dynamic Mode) is somewhat more permissive, it lets the rear move a little and brakes it when it reaches the maximum grip limit.
It’s a radical response machine, yes. But don’t worry, it’s not an unruly beast. It is true that by power it can play tricks on you if you go too generous with your right foot, but if you do it with patience you will enjoy an exemplary behavior: neutral (the rear barely moves), agile and that allows you a speed high throughout the turn: that is possible thanks to the action of the limited-slip rear differential.
My opinion after the test of the BMW 1 Series M Coupé
I loved its engine, the effectiveness of its chassis and, of course, its aggressive appearance. The 1 Series M Coupé is a sports car with a radical response, there is no doubt about that. But the good thing is that it is perfectly valid for day to day.
Despite the 56,500 euros it costs, it cannot be said that it is expensive. Especially if you take into account the power and sensations it offers, although it cannot be ignored that there are options almost as powerful, such as the Nissan 370Z, that are cheaper.
