Unusually, the high-performance, uncommon 1M Coupe from BMW is currently worth more than it did when it was brand new.
Chris spent a short time working as a record industry publicist and in TV news production before focusing the majority of his career on automobile publishing. David E. Davis, Jr., who founded “Automobile Magazine,” mentored Paukert, who then took over as editor-in-chief of the groundbreaking e-magazine Winding Road before working as executive editor of Autoblog from 2008 to 2015.
BMW’s least costly M-badged model from 2011 has accomplished a minor but major feat: It is now valued higher than any of the other, much more expensive like-badged versions with which it had shared showroom space. The 2011 1 Series M Coupe commands more on the used market than all other BMW M products of its year, including the iconic M3 sports coupe and the far more expensive X5 M and X6 M SUVs, while being more than $10,000 less expensive than its next-cheapest M brother.
The 1 Series M Coupe, a BMW M-tuned version of the Bavarian automaker’s entry-level 1 Series, was a long-running rumor among Roundel enthusiasts. The upright, broad-shouldered coupe debuted for the 2011 model year, but it was missing the coveted M _[Insert Number Here]] moniker. It was only made for a single year and was known as the “1 Series M Coupe.”
Despite its awkward name, the 335-horsepower 1M Coupe was recognized as the most driver-focused BMW of its era and was considered to be more enjoyable than the bigger and more powerful M3. BMW apparently limited the production of the 1 Series M Coupe to just 2,700 units worldwide, with just 740 of those going to the US, in order to avoid any pecking order disputes within the M lineup.
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units of the BMW 1M sold in the US
During a recent interview, BMW M brand manager Matt Russell revealed that the sport division developed 740 vehicles just for American consumers. In essence, 739 “baby-Ms” were sold to customers, while one Valencia Orange served as the pace car for the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Russell told BMWBLOG, “The 1M was exceptional because it was produced swiftly, in record time, and that we built it for enthusiasts while pledging to keep the number of units low.
Valencia Orange was the most popular color, followed by Alpine White and Black Sapphire. The starting price for the BMW 1 Series M Coupe was $47,000.
BMW 1M
In 2011, BMW determined that their “M Division” should focus on the modest 1 Series (Coupe). Who doesn’t enjoy a base model that has been given the complete, top-tier performance treatment, especially when BMW M is involved?
The BMW 1 Series M Coupe, however, was only offered for a brief period of time, with many vehicles being registered in 2011 and a select number in 2012. Only 450 of the 6,331 vehicles delivered to Europe and America were right-hand drive models, with the rest going to North America. Despite being introduced at the time, the price of this uncommon M vehicle has mostly remained the same (PS40,000), with many cars fetching up to PS50,000, and really low mileage specimens fetching up to PS80,000.
But what distinguishes the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, or 1M as fans prefer to call it, from other vehicles? The 1M may have had a smaller production run, but is there more to it than meets the eye?
Today, The 1M Coupe Attracts Crazy Money
The base price of the 1M is $47,010. This price includes standard features as well as a number of optional packages, such as convenience packages and premium packages, which may be added for an extra $2700 and $2400, respectively. Only 983 of the 6,342 BMWs produced globally were built to US specifications. The 1M became a market star and was gone in a matter of days due to its extreme scarcity and widespread popularity. BMW was astonished by the 1M Coupe’s sales, which were significantly greater than anyone had anticipated.
Gills and gadgets
However, the 1M received a mixed response when it was first released, largely because it was thrown together with M3 components and the engine was taken wholesale from already-existing BMW cars instead of being a genuine M powerplant.
The interior was underwhelming and the bodywork divided critics and enthusiasts. The 1M was called “a fiesta of gills, slits, and doodads” by Car & Driver. Finally, there were just three colors available for the 1M: the obnoxious Valencia Orange, dull white, and the predictable black. Black and orange were both expensive choices, but white was the default.
The 1M coupe (in white) originally cost roughly $48,000, destination expenses included. In 2011, a total of 983 automobiles according to North American specifications were built and imported. In 2011 and 2012, 4,155 left-hand European standard 1M coupes and an additional 1,204 right-hand drive variants for the U.K. market were produced. One of the Euro-spec models is the vehicle in question.
Chris Harris purchases a BMW 1M Coupe for “crazy money.”
Chris Harris’ hunger for power was whetted by his work testing vehicles for Top Gear and competing for Bentley in Blancpain; as a result, he ended up shelling out a significant sum of money on a used BMW 1M Coupe. The 3.0-liter twin-turbo, straight-six engine that powers the 1M produces 335 horsepower and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds and reach a top (limited) speed of 250 km/h. Monkey is used to hosting Porsches and Ferraris in his garage (155 mph).
“Ever desired a 1M. I prefer it to the M2, and sure, I paid outrageous prices for it, but that appears to be the going rate for them at the moment. Small, irate, and ace “The British auto journalist posted a message on Twitter.
Harris may be keeping the price of his most recent vehicle a secret, but online research has found that similar vehicles often sell for between $50,000 and $60,000, which is around the same as the MSRP of a new M2, which is $51,700 in the USA.
BMW originally intended to produce 2,700 vehicles, but due to the little M car’s enormous popularity, they ultimately produced 6,309 vehicles, of which 740 were reportedly sold in the US and another 220 in Canada.
Ever desired a 1M. I prefer it to the M2; yeah, I paid outrageous prices for it, but that seems to be the going rate for them at the moment. Small, irate, and ace.
In how many BMW 1Ms is the UK?
Despite the BMW 1M being referred to as a “part bins special” by some and being based on an entry-level BMW, among other aspects that could be seen negatively, it has had no impact whatsoever on this little M automobile.
The 1M has won the hearts of drivers worldwide thanks to its enduring virtues. The 50/50 weight distribution, traditional BMW rear-wheel drive, and small wheelbase all made sure that the right components were present. Of course, the transmission came next. A 6-speed manual transmission for purists. The 1M got the fundamentals down pat to a T. It provided such an authentic, analog experience, similar to that of its illustrious sibling, the E30 M3.
Of course, the fact that there are only 450 UK examples makes it more special than an M3 or comparable vehicles, but petrolheads adore little cars with huge power, and one that can handle as well as the BMW 1M Coupe is practically the pinnacle of driving.
What is the value of a BMW 1M?
Nevertheless, buyers appear to have just seen it as a used car, as values fell by 15.5 percent from 2018 to 2020, to $33,650, according to our insurance data. The 1M only marginally decreased throughout that time, at $57,440. (ironically, right around the original MSRP for the M3)
What makes the BMW 1M so unique?
Let’s get through the technical speak and talk about what it can achieve on the roadways. It’s amazing how quickly the 1M can accelerate from a full stop to 60 mph—in just 4.5 seconds—and from 0 to 100 mph—in only 10.9 seconds. Its top recorded speed is 155 mph.
The E90 M3 serves as both an inspiration and a direct source of inspiration for the 1M’s chassis design. The M3 uses identical front and rear axles, pivot points, and link supports. To make the 1M more lightweight, BMW built the chassis primarily out of aluminum. A 1M is a very adaptable car that’s enjoyable to fling around in the bends and a wonderful choice for novices and experts alike thanks to all these features and a perfect 50-50 weight distribution.
There are how many BMW M1s in the US?
How many more BMW M1s are there? With race vehicles included, BMW produced about 450 M1s, with little under 400 being used on the road. The vast majority of these vehicles, if not all of them, are still believed to be in use.
How many BMW M1 models were produced and sold on the market?
A total of 430 M1s were produced before production was stopped in December 1980, of which 35 to 40 were race vehicles. BMW had little incentive to continue producing the M1 in light of what it perceived as a dwindling market for exotics because it was family sedans, not exotics like the 507 sports car, that had kept the company from going bankrupt in the early 1960s.
How many BMW M1 models were made?
Only 453 M1s were produced during its brief production run from 1978 to 1981, according to The Drive. The various racing endeavors employed 53 models, and 400 were sold to customers. The BMW M1 is a rare car, just as other homologation race cars. In actuality, many people have never seen one in action. As a result, they are expensive, much like all rare cars.
According to Hagerty, an M1 in “good condition” can sell for $440,000. The highest price among the 65 purchases they had previously accounted for was $605,000, while the most recent sale was for $566,000
What BMW M Series model is the fastest?
Performance Models from the M Series In reality, the M5 from the current M Series holds the distinction of being the quickest BMW. M2 Competition Coupe for 2019: 4.0 seconds from 0 to 60 mph
A rare BMW M1?
Italian company Italina Resina, with headquarters in Modena, produced the M1’s fiber glass body. Marchesi, another Modenese company, produced the chassis. Italdesign finished the interior and body of the car at their Turin-based manufacturing facility.
German specialty producer Baur used hand labor for final assembly. BMW from Munich provided the hand-built M88/1 engines that were fitted in the vehicles. The finished vehicles were transported to BMW Motorsport in Munich for delivery and final inspection. One of BMW’s rarest models, only 453 production cars were made. 53 of the 453 were built specifically for motorsport, while 399 were road-going vehicles.
When was the BMW M1 released?
The cleverly called BMW M1 supercar was the first BMW road vehicle to be given the now-iconic BMW M emblem. The 1978 M1 is the only mid-engined M vehicle ever produced. It cost about PS2,000 more than a Ferrari BB12 from the same era and had supercar performance, appearance, and price. The 273bhp M1 had a top speed of 161 mph and could reach 62 mph in under 5.6 seconds.
While hardly supercar-quick now, the M1 had more than enough power to make some of the elite supercar drivers look bad in the late 1970s.
By the way, Lamborghini was supposed to produce the BMW M1, but they backed out of the deal due to other financial commitments. Consequently, BMW M created the M1, their first ever M vehicle. What follows is history.