The 1M is on the list:
BMW 1 Series M Coupe - Steven J. Ewing
The 1 Series M Coupe was the last BMW I really loved. There are a number of BMWs that I like these days, but I don’t love any of them. They don’t keep me up at night. They don’t beg to be driven. They just don’t spark any strong, positive emotion within me. But the 1M did. I will never forget that car.
Former Autoblog editor Damon Lavrinc summed it up nicely: "This is a pure driver's machine through-and-through – a true M, or at least the closest we'll get in the 21st century." I totally agree. Every M car I’ve driven since the 1 Series left me feeling cold. Granted, I haven’t driven the new M2 yet, and I hear good things, but I still don’t think I’ll love it as much as the 1M.
Balanced, fast, not overdone. Everything you need and nothing you don’t, with the key focus being ultimate driving enjoyment. That was the 1M, to me – automotive perfection.
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/the-g...#slide-3823994