"The Fun One" Driving the new 1 Series M Coupe on the track at Buttonwillow—and pitting it against the venerable E92 M3 at Willow Springs—reveals a challenging but rewarding BMW created expressly for enthusiasts

By Alexander Palevsky and Jackie Jouret   Photos by Helmut Werb

It’s being produced in small quantities, but the 1 Series M Coupe is a very big deal. In fact, it may be the most important new BMW of the 21st century, because it proves that the company is still building cars for enthusiasts. Quite frankly, that’s been somewhat in doubt lately, as each successive new model has grown larger and heavier, rendering the driving experience ever more remote.

In one fell swoop, the 1 M takes that development in the opposite direction entirely. It is, quite simply, the most fun car BMW sells in 2011. It quickly earned a place on my list of favorite late-model BMWs along with the E86 Z4 M Coupe, the E36/8 Z3 M coupe, the Z3 3.0i, the Z8, the E46 330Ci ZHP and of course all M3s. None of the cars on my list weigh more than 4,000 lbs., and most weigh closer to 3,000 lbs.

At 3,296 lbs., the 1 M is only 66 lbs. heavier than the Z4 M Coupe, 165 lbs. heavier than the Z3 M coupe of a decade earlier. These days, when an M3 checks in at 3,704 lbs. after gaining hundreds of pounds with each successive generation, it’s heartening to see the 1 M Coupe tip the scales at 408 lbs. less—and to undercut even its 135i sibling by 143 lbs.

The Ultimate Handling Machine (TC Kline’s suspension tuning transforms the entry-level 128i Coupe into a car that can rival the 1 Series M Coupe for pure driving fun.)

There aren’t too many bona fide BMW suspension gurus in the U.S., but one name turns up on the list more than just about any other: TC Kline. Kline started on the path to suspension enlightenment in the 1980s, when such expertise was rare, and he opened TC Kline Racing in 1998 to offer BMW suspension systems tuned for ultimate performance.

“When I started road racing in the early 1980s, I was racing in classes where you weren’t really allowed to do anything to the engine,” Kline recalls. “I learned early on that it was really difficult to find anyone who really knew anything about tuning the suspension…and it still is. A lot of good shops can make an engine better, but I’ve seen some BMW race teams take years to really understand what’s going on with the chassis.”

Kline decided to focus his efforts on chassis development, doing much of his early research on an E30 325is he was racing.

“To me, what separates road racing from any other kind of racing is the importance of dynamic handling,” he says. “The better handling a car is, the quicker it’s going to be and the more fun it’s going to be to drive.”

Earlier this year, I spent a day getting schooled on Kline’s suspension philosophy at his Santa Barbara shop, then spent almost 1,000 miles experiencing it firsthand, taking his 128i Coupe on an extended road trip. With performance mods limited to the suspension and wheels, the car provided a great opportunity to see how good this base BMW can be when its one true weakness is addressed.

BMW M5. Green Hell Fly & Drive 2011

2011 BMW F10 535i Scott Chu PhotoSession

2011 BMW X6 M Hamann Tycoon Evo

      Hamann has been released its Tycoon Evo M, a tuning package based on 2010 BMW X6 M. Featuring a widebody kit which includes front and rear extensions, new side skirts, a front bumper with LED daylight running lights, and rear center molding. There are also a carbon fibre hood as well as a new sports exhaust system with 120mm sport muffler two tailpipes, and also riding on 23″ wheel/tire combination design edition race “ANODIZED”.

RevoZport BMW 1M Raze P450

         Tuning and modding company RevoZport reveals their 1M Raze P450, a project based on the BMW 1-Series M Coupe co-developed with CP Engineering.

         The RevoZport 1M Raze is focused on the enhancement of the already stellar BMW 1 Series M, further improving its power-to-weight ratio and aerodynamic efficiency. All products are designed on the premise that form should follow function. Weight reduction is the main priority with a total weight reduction of 60kg achieved through the extensive use of carbon composite fiber products.

BMW M1 PhotoSession (William Stern) & MORR Wheels

         MORR Competition Wheels was established in 2005 and has since managed to position itself as an industry leader and innovator in Craftsmanship, Performance, Aesthetics and distinctive innovations. MORR Competition Wheels designs and engineers its own line of ultra-light weight performance wheels for high-end automobiles. Our main product lines, MonoForged™ and SpunForged™ are not only designed to improve your vehicle's performance but to equally enhance your vehicle's appearance.