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Autoblog 1M Coupe Review - "E30 M3 Reincarnate"

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Autoblog's review (full review) of the 1M coupe is in and this is the message they have for everyone -- "Enthusiasts, BMW has your car."

They also called the 1M an E30 M3 Reincarnate.

The following sums up their experience in a few sentences: In similar manner, what makes the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe so special isn't found in charts, numbers or statistics. Instead, its appeal is discovered once you settle into the supportive bucket seats behind the thick steering wheel. Its allure is captured in the masterful combination of a torque-laden engine mated to a lightweight rear-wheel-drive platform controlled with a traditional manual transmission – the little coupe with the big flares is old school retro-cool and deliciously fun to drive. The new BMW 1 Series M Coupe doesn't target boy-racers, it targets enthusiasts.

And a few quotes which stood out to us:

After painfully watching for years as the automaker's beloved M lineup ballooned in both size and weight – even adding sport utility vehicles – the German's have delivered us a new little jewel. It's not another derivative of the race-bred M3, the highly anticipated next-generation M5 or a sneak preview of the future M6. Instead, this little shot of driving ecstasy comes in the guise of the lowly 1 Series – the entry-level BMW.

Launching the M Coupe from a standstill is easy, thanks to a clutch pedal that is weighted perfectly with predictable and progressive take-up. Throws are short and BMW-familiar precise. Thanks to the amazing torque curve of the tuned N54, a slightly aggressive launch will easily spin the rear wheels. Even better, the M Coupe will pull from all six gears at nearly any engine speed (just out of curiosity, we even run it in sixth gear at one-thousand RPM around town and it slowly pulls itself up to the power band without any sign of protest).

While lacking the sophisticated Electronic Damping Control (EDC) found on the M3, the 1M Coupe rides very well. It's firm, but never punishing. Just a month after the seasonal thaw, New York's pothole-laden surface streets do their best to unsettle the two-door, but it bounces resolutely out of each crater without losing its sense of direction. It doesn't ride as well as the longer-wheelbase M3, but it makes the Lexus IS-F seem downright abusive. The suspension will easily be tolerated by those who choose to use it as a daily-driver.

The steering also rewards smoothness. Just line up the entry with the front wheels, turn, and hold the wheel steady as the 1M Coupe clips the apex. Slight course corrections are accomplished with gentle inputs as sawing on the wheels seems to accomplish nothing more than bleeding off speed. It was very easy to place the BMW on a precise imaginary driving line (for the first few laps, we used a small rock which had been tossed onto the surface as an apex marker for one of the corners – we were able to nail it nearly every time).

The brakes simply begged for more.

For the ultimate comparison, BMW allowed us to take an M3 Competition (with DSG) out on the track for a couple of hot laps immediately after pulling the 1M Coupe into the pits. To keep things fair, we configured MDM identically and put the transmission in its fastest setting.

So, which of the two is quicker around Monticello's south course? The more agile 1M Coupe takes the corners, while the more powerful M3 takes the straights – yet, overall, the pair are unbelievably close on this circuit. Lacking telemetry, we honestly don't know which is quicker. However, it is obvious that the new car is more engaging and more enjoyable to drive. Offered the choice between the two, seeking a weekend track racer that will see double-duty as a work commuter, we would take this new 1M Coupe over a BMW M3 Competition.

Check out the full review at Autoblog.