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If you have a stock 1M (stock including pads, tires etc.) on a given track versus a 135i with $5,000 or so of carefully chosen mods with the same driver in both cars, I think they'd be in the same ball park in terms of lap times. Wider extreme performance summer tires with light wheels, high temp brake fluid with aggressive brake pads, an ECU reflash with a larger intercooler and downpipes putting the power down through some basic suspension improvements and adjustable camber plates should be enough to at least match a lap time.
That being said, there is no way it would ever feel as connected and confident as a stock 1M even if the car was just as quick around a course. That's why you guys probably upgraded to a 1M is because you don't to worry about anything associated with making a 135i faster while improving feel up to stock 1M levels because it's already there and if you still do want to make it faster it's easier to do so. It has properly sized brake rotors that won't cook the piston seals from the large caliper putting too much heat into them, it comes with fenders that are big enough to fit monster truck tires underneath so you don't have to worry about putting on any tire larger than a 235 and the 1M already has great engine cooling along with more aggressive and well connected suspension pieces that all (best part about it) come from the factory. So there's factory reliability, factory quality and superior resale value.
Now, that being said, the 1M feel and speed CAN be had for LESS and BOTH the 1M and 135i have the same potential. They have the same chassis and same power plant making them damn close in terms of maximum potential. Sure the 1M has a quicker steering rack and whatever else, but a quicker rack isn't really going to make the car any faster in a measurable way or change it's potential to be more than a 135i's. Yeah, the 135i sun roof adds weight to the worst area maybe limiting it's maximum potential a little bit, but who really cares about a 2/10ths of a second? If you want to factor in stuff like that then go ahead, but I wouldn't consider it as a game changer. I would put money on the the HPA 135i being faster around most tracks than a stock 1M which is the foundation of this thread and if anyone doesn't feel that way then so be it. The costs and ultimate conclusion are plainly stated in the article and as I previously mentioned there are pieces they didn't need to add that drove the cost up and didn't add any value in terms of feel or speed. Having used those costs towards things like widening the body to fit larger wheels and tires would have widened the gap even further.
I would certainly buy a 1M if I had the money and agree that it is a "superior" car if you factor in everything, but I do not believe it's arguable that a 1M can be anything significantly more than a modified 135i can be in speed, driver feel or value and that's what this thread is all about. That's all from me folks. Lol
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