BMW 1 Series 1M 2012 Review

Someone in the executive corridors of BMW rejoices in the deliciously James Bondesque title of head of M. That's the loose English translation, of course; in German it's a long word with at least 20 consonants.

But it would have to be one of the most coveted jobs in the company because they get to sign off on cars that have become synonymous with desirability and performance. M is BMW's tuner division, responsible for hotted-up versions of its mainstream models. 

It has been around for 40 years and began life as the company's motorsport specialist. But it cut its retail teeth on the M3 and M5, fast versions of the 3 Series and 5 Series. The original M3, from 1986, is still hailed as a landmark and each new version eagerly awaited.

But the 3 Series has grown through the years and today's M3 is as big as the first M5. So a few years ago BMW introduced a 1 Series, which by 2007 included a Coupe. It's the least-odd looking of the 1 Series variants and has been crying out for the M treatment.

VALUE

Happily, that car has now arrived. BMW says the 1 Series M Coupe revives the recipe that made the original M3 so successful: light weight, two doors, just the right amount of power and a focus on dynamic ability. 

There's a fair bit of spin in that picture, of course. In reality, even the 1 Series M Coupe is bigger and heavier than the 1986 car. But it does two things remarkably well.

First, it delivers on the promise of performance and handling. And, second, it lowers the price of entry for this level of performance. Nothing else with a sub-$100,000 price offers four seats, luxury fittings and a 0-100km/h time below five seconds or 4.9 to be exact. That puts it in Porsche territory, but it's substantially cheaper than a Cayman. And although the Audi TT RS is quicker, it's another $37,000.

DESIGN

In other respects, it's a sports car you could live with. There are rear seats and a 370-litre boot. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, the steering wheel meaty and BMW dials are among the best. There's no evidence of BMW's previous cabin missteps and the Alcantara trim with contrast stitching could come from something more expensive. BMW has even cut its usually punitive options list and fitted a decent level of kit, including sat nav, alarm, and Harman Kardon sound.

If you can live with the restricted colour palette - white, black or orange - the 1 M may stop some buyers looking for a used M3. A new M3 is another $55,000.

TECHNOLOGY

The 1 M engine is already familiar from the Z4 35is roadster: This direct-injection twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six revs to 7000rpm and has an overboost function that helps achieve its impressive acceleration. It also delivers maximum torque from just 1500rpm so it's driveable around town.

There's little turbo lag to speak of, but sometimes between 2000-3000rpm the turbos give a little shove to an otherwise linear power delivery. The only transmission is a six-speed manual with a sweet action and a third gear that copes with everything from 40km/h dawdling through to a 150km/h blatt.

DRIVE

Where conditions allow, of course - which in this case was the Broadford circuit in Victoria, BMW was shrewd enough to line up a 135i for laps as well. The 135i starts about $25,000 below the 1 M and, with the right options, has almost as much power. It's a terrific car on the road, but driven back-to-back against the new car shows just what the M division can do.

The 1 M is a delight on the track and immediately inspires confidence with its composure. The front just grips and follows the steering line, then it stays impressively flat and balanced. By comparison, the 135i felt too willing to understeer and a little rattled by Broadford's off-camber corners. It had the power -- it was boosted to 240kW, just 10kW shy of the 1 M - but couldn't exploit it with the same authority.

The suspension on the 1 M comes from the M3 and the wheel arches have been widened to fit the wider track. There's a differential lock on the rear axle and within 19-inch alloys the brakes are bigger too. On most cars, the brakes are one of the first things to pack up on a track. Here, their stopping power held up well even though they eventually shuddered and got noisy.

But the 1 M was fine for the return road trip and showed no signs of wear. Its taut nature is obvious the minute you get behind the wheel and usually this goes hand-in-hand with an unbearably firm ride. The ride is firm in the 1 M but wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me. The M division disdains the runflat tyres BMW fits to regular cars, and this has undoubtedly helped.

But BMW has a knack of tuning suspensions so they take the sharp edges off road irregularities, making them tolerable even when they jolt the car. And it has done it again here.

VERDICT

It's a busy drive, with lots of little movements through the steering wheel, seat and chassis, but not raw. In fact, it's part of what makes it an entertaining car. One drawback day-to-day may be the engine noise, which is more appealing than most turbocharged units but can drone at a constant highway speed.

But why the convoluted name and not just M1? Because that monicker belongs to the first M model from 1978 - a revered supercar. The modern incarnation of that will be worth waiting for.

BMW 1 SERIES M COUPE

Price: $99,900 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol
Outputs: 250kW at 5900rpm and 450Nm at 1500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive