BMW releases an extensive video of the upcoming BMW 1 Series M Coupe. The footage gives us a better view at the new 1M, along with a bonus: the E30 M3 next to the 1M on a race track.
Before jumping into the video, let’s recap some of the main points of the new 1M. The car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2011, with sales beginning in mid May. Official pricing has yet to be published, but our expectations set the price around the $45,000 mark.
The 1M is powered by the N4 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter I-6 engine. For the 1M, the turbocharger, exhaust system, and ECU have been revised to produce 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, though up to 369 pound-feet are available temporarily in overboost mode. Redline is found at 7000 rpm.
The new 1M builds atop the 135i Coupe and it said to have the perfect balance. It is 71 inches (1803mm) wide – 4.8 inches (122mm) wider than its 1988 M3 ancestor – yet only 1.3 inches (33mm) longer at 172.4 inches (4379mm) long.
The new 1 Series M Coupe weighs in at 1,495kg DIN (3,296 lbs, preliminary), and features a 104.7-inch (2659mm) wheelbase, three inches longer than the 1988 M3. Front and rear track widths are exactly the same on the 1 Series M Coupe at 60.7 inches (1542mm) each. Compared to the 2011 BMW 135i Coupe, the 1 Series M Coupe is 0.2 inches (5mm) longer, 2.1 inches (53mm) wider, 0.5 inches (13mm) taller, and rides on the same 104.7 inch (2659mm) wheelbase.
