A new face, interior and rear side now appears on the BMW 1 Series range, both Coupe and Convertible. This car is still the only one of its kind in a segment defined by hatchbacks and the like. At the same time BMW South Africa chose to launch the incredible 1 M Coupe, a car so different from the rest, so impressive that it may very well end up redefining what we currently know about sports cars.
Frist we can talk about the normal 1 Coupe, a car that itself remains something of a conundrum in the market. Pairing the 1 Series hatch as a sportier, more butch model, the 1 Coupe is either loved or hated. Lookswise one cannot escape the fact that it is unique. Whether that is a good or bad thing is probably a personal choice. Personally I think it’s fantastic. The same goes about the facelift, which presents new headlights, a new front grille with apron-integrated fog lights, new air curtains for channelling air through and different rear lights with LED strips.
The interior is also updated with things like an optional sports steering wheel, an M leather-covered steering wheel with shift paddles behind it, new upholstery options and others. The models we drove felt a little on the unrefined side, with less than premium plastics dashed around the cockpit area. Tech ticks achieved include the current iDrive system as found in X3, 5 Series, 7 Series and others. Even the gear lever applied in models with DCT gearboxes is now updated to match stable siblings.
Powering the range is down low, a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol, 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel, 3.0-litre straight-six naturally aspirated engine, as well as the N55 single turbo unit. At 115kW, the 120i is quite long on its tooth now, possibly even behind comparable engines from Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo. For the 120d power output is 130kW, 5kW less than what the same motor makes in the 320d and 520d. Take comfort in that Europe too gets the detuned version. Newton Metres are measured at 350 units, with average fuel consumption of 5.3 litres per 100km claimed. Contrary to its badging, the 125i suits up a 3.0-litre can of 160kW and 270Nm. It’s quite past its due date too, no thanks to relative weight and limited power.
In the 135i a little hell starts breaking loose, releasing a sweet jab of 225kW and 400Nm of torque through a single turbo kicker. I got behind the wheel of the Convertible model, and found it likes revving, as well as cornering quite a bit. With the 7-speed double-clutch DCT at its side, the 135i is super quick to change gears, but one can still feel a somewhat lack of that old grunt that made the N54 twin turbo such a winner, despite BMW claiming the exact same power and torque at even earlier revs for the single turbo.
No such problems over at 1 M Coupe, a 1 Series whose boot camp antics have made it the butchest of them all. Before getting intimately acquainted at a makeshift gymkhana track on some secret aeroplane runway, I had a feeling the 1 M would be great. What I hadn’t imagined was just how great. Until I reached for that Start button, pushed it in, received agreement from the engine bay and four exhaust pipes. Another button, DSC, needs a firm push lasting about 5 seconds. So it gets one too. A short gear throw later and I’m staring down a row of orange plastic cones, listening to 250kW of power blaring through the windows. By third gear I would have slipped past the 100km/h mark, headed for nirvana. Hit the brakes, change down, swing left, then right, hold the line, counter steer, throttle, keep the slide keep the slide, counter, and accelerate again.
Repeat process as many times as possible and you are assured of wild week-long laughs. As I am today still. If your question was “how good is the new 1 M Coupe”, then my answer would be “It’s just about one of the best three M cars I have ever driven”. And I’ve driven every one that’s come out since 1992, bar the Euro-only M3 GTS. If the upcoming Audi RS 3 Sportback is going to be better than this, then it will have to be godlike. For its own sake. In the right hands this little bugger will run alongside an M3 at Gauteng altitude. Pity all 71 units allocated to South Africa has been sold already.
2011 BMW 1 Series Coupe and Convertible Pricing
Coupe
120d manual (R350 500)
120d auto (R367 100)
125i manual (R364 500)
125i auto (R383 300)
135i manual (R443 500)
135i DCT (R470 700)
M Coupe (R537 500)
Convertible
120i manual (R370 500)
120i auto (R387 100)
125i manual (R423 000)
125i auto (R441 800)
135i manual (R510 000)
135i DCT (R537 200)
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