After months of lame teaser videos and pictures of the 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe, BMW finally released official pictures and specs of the potent little car. I can say with confidence, the wait has been worth it and I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these little bad boys.
I’ll be the first to admit, I never liked the styling of the BMW 1 Series coupe but the 1 Series M is in a different league, with very masculine styling in a small package. It has a very aggressive front bumper that looks like it’s ready to eat hatchbacks for lunch. On the sides you’ll notice the bulging wide body with big wheels and tire and of course wider track for high speed cornering. The rear bumper is a lot more subtle compared to the front but the four exhaust tips give indication of a menace that resides under the hood.
Speaking of which, under the hood of the 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe lives a twin-turbo 3.0 liter inline-six engine that sends 335 ponies to the rear wheels with 332 pound-feet of torque, these numbers are identical to the current Z4 sDrive35i. The 1 Series M Coupe accelerates to 60 miles per hour in 4.7 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. The 1M is equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox, although rumors had been circulating about a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
Like all other M badged cars, the 1M coupe is equipped with an M drive button, located on the steering wheel, for better throttle response. The car is also equipped with an M Dynamic Mode button that delays electronic interferences, like traction control, when the car is pushed hard.
Compared with the non-M version, the 1 Series M Coupe is 2.1 inches wider, 0.2 inches longer, and surprisingly 0.5 inches taller. The M coupe is 77 pounds lighter than the 135i, weighing in at 3,296 pounds. The car rides on 19 inch rims with front 245/35 tires and rear 265/35 tires. The interior doesn’t see much improvement other than a thicker steering wheel and sporty seats. No pricing information is available at this time.
Overall the 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe looks like a fun car. It’s small, powerful, and relatively light (by today’s standards) and should make for a fun and exciting car that would beg to be pushed harder and harder.
2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe Picture Gallery:
Via: BMW
