First it was strange, then it became ingrained and today it is one of the most desired BMW Ms. A world away when we know the BMW 1M Coupe in 2011 — criticism was not lacking.
Not only was it one of the first M to do without a naturally aspirated engine, but, to the detriment of its sins, the turbo engine that powered it didn't even come from the BMW M. It was a version of the N54, an engine shared with others BMW most “ordinary”.
But then the first tests began to appear and these revealed that it was a compact, muscular and “devilish” machine, with some rough edges, to be sure, but that guaranteed a strong character. An instant classic, said some, the compact BMW M we had all been waiting for, said others.
Now, almost 10 years after its release — still far from being officially considered a classic — we see several 1M Coupé passing from hands to values that insist on remaining high.
Only 22 500 km
This is what we can see in this North American example of the German coupé in an angelic Alpine White. On sale at Bring a Trailer, the asking price has not stopped rising, being, a few hours from the end of the auction, at 62,000 dollars (practically 51,000 euros), in line with others for sale around the world, including in Portugal. It's already a price above what was given by its first owner when it was new: $54,085.
This specific unit is from 2011 and has only 14 thousand miles, just over 22 500 km. In contrast to the white of the bodywork, there is an interior in black Boston leather, with orange stitching and Alcantara notes scattered throughout the interior.
Obviously, under the hood lies the “non-M” N54, meaning an in-line six-cylinder with 3.0 liters of capacity and two turbochargers. Guaranteed to the 1M Coupé 340 hp and 450 Nm of torque were sent to the rear axle via a six-speed manual gearbox. The 100 km/h was reached in 4.9s and the top speed was a limited 250 km/h.
Despite the boxer image, the BMW 1M Coupe didn't lack conveniences, as this unit demonstrates: electric and heated adjustment seats, Harman-Kardon audio system, in addition to the more usual automatic air conditioning or cruise control.
A temptation? No doubt… Does the old man with the white beard and red suit accept last-minute orders?
Update on December 23: This BMW 1M Coupe was eventually purchased for $68,500, the same as 56,173 euros!