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It's sad that after all these year there are still people that say that we never landed on the moon, the Holocaust didn't happen and that the 1M is a tuned 135i. The sheetmetal was different to start with and it can accomodate bigger rubber. It wasn't just a body kit, different sheetmetal. Suspension components were lighter than 135i. The brakes were M3 brakes not for looks as the 135i calipers looked nicer, but M found them to be stronger for track duty and no ceramic piston failures like on 135s. The exhaust was gnarly and different. The flywheel was lightened. The diff was M-sport full lock. It only came in MANual and no sunroof. It weighed less than 135i. The steering rack was hydraulic M3 rack, faster than 135i. The 135i in 2011 was an N55, not N54. Also, the 1M had M-Dynamic traction control, not available on 135i. These are not simple tuner changes!
Retrofitting the hydraulic rack, M3 diff and replacing lighter flywheel and fitting the ZCP M3 wheels and suspension is quite a bit of mechanical and body work. I'm sure a tuner can do all that and add the extra power but at what cost?
What made the 1M special and different from 135i for me was the fact that it was only offered in manual and it will be the last BMW ever offered in manual only. It was the first BMW to have the air curtains which now every BMW has them even the M3 and M4. It was the first turbo M car, which now all the M cars are that way.
Many don't see it as special because the hype is so high that it sets unrealistic expectations for some, especially when so many BMW fans put more importance on creature comforts and gadgets which are not what the 1M was targeted too. You can see that by the fact that most were ordered fully loaded. Many of the gripes were that many wanted automatic in the 1M and some even griped because there was no light in the vanity mirror in the 1M.
Also, most are fixated on numbers and not how a car drives. You see that all day with guys quoting .2 second 0-60 time to completely discount the joy of a manual transmission or saying the M235i is better because it lapped the Ring faster. Sorry, the M235i is a car I could possibly own but not even close to 1M is visceral excitement and driving feel.
The 1M was targeted to a smaller audience than any other BMW. Just by the fact that it was manual only with mechanical firm suspension.
Every other BMW is targeted at every other type with all sorts of options, self parking, interior colors, comfort suspension, automatic, etc, etc, etc so it's natural that it's not for everyone but it is undeniably a very special car in the BMW lineage. It was the last and final analog masterpiece that BMW created. The new cars like M2 and M3 and M4 will appeal to the masses and will post better numbers but they will not have the character, like it or not, that the 1M has.
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