BMW M1 to be unleashed by M division! (OFFICIAL confirmation from M boss)

[Numb3rs]

Not at all happy about the eLSD. I really wish BMW will offer a real limited slip dif... PLEASE!

The suspension is a bit of a downer, aswell.. it should use //M3 suspension.

[Jaguar66]

!

[BForbes]

I wonder if they're going to go forward with a 135is. That wouldnt bode well for the pricing of the M1. I can tell you that much.

[larryn]

Originally Posted by RobMason

You are correct, sir. I had an '85 E30 325i, and put +1 wheels/tires, larger sway bars, new shocks/springs to make the car handle better.

I assume you mean the 325e? 325i was not produced until 1987. the '85 had the 2.7l eta motor. Low revving, but decent torque.

I had a '86 325es. First new car, and first BMW. Wish I still had it. I put 185k miles on it, and sold it when the e36's came out, which I hated.

[Jaguar66]

!

[larryn]

Originally Posted by RobMason

That is correct for US models. My 325i was also a gray market car, imported directly from Germany. It had anti lock brakes before the US versions of the 325 had it. It was a a genuine 325i, before BMW released it to the US market. When the E36s came out I drove one and hated it. A few years later, I drove an E36 M3 LTW, and that car was sensational, I liked it better than the E46

Wow! That must not have been easy to do, especially with a (fairly) new car. Were/are you Brass, and were able to get it passed? There's gotta be a good story around that.

Btw, regarding the e36 that I had (and hated), it was a 92 325i that I opted for the automatic transmission, as I was commuting into traffic-and construction-heavy Boston at the time. Got rid of it as soon as the 328i's became available. (I also agree regarding the LTW - as well as the '94 M-Tech 325is - both great cars)

Sorry for the continued hijacktivation.

[sparoz]

Originally Posted by BForbes

I wonder if they're going to go forward with a 135is. That wouldnt bode well for the pricing of the M1. I can tell you that much.

In Australia it is going to be an 'offered' car. Special edition with all the performance pack. Basically, I was told, that you can't order one, but they will be available through the dealership to offer it to the customers.

However, I believe that was before we have confirmation with the M.

[Jaguar66]

!

[lucid]

I would consider one of these. Don't worry, M division will put the car on rails. That's what matters the most. They'll reduce the weight a little, reinforce the chassis here and there, give it a slight power pump over the 135, improve throttle response, stick in LSD and oil cooler, up tire size, beef up the drivetrain for some track abuse, but more imporantly, they'll probably redo the suspension links/geometry (article claims they won't, but my "guess" is they will), and the car will be nicely balanced...I doubt that it will look similar to what's in that pic though.

[aesthetect]

oh wow was not aware of this. although not really many surprises beyond the most realistic speculations. subscribed to come back and read all the fapping

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by lucid

I would consider one of these. Don't worry, M division will put the car on rails. That's what matters the most. They'll reduce the weight a little, reinforce the chassis here and there, give it a slight power pump over the 135, improve throttle response, stick in LSD and oil cooler, up tire size, beef up the drivetrain for some track abuse, but more imporantly, they'll probably redo the suspension links/geometry (article claims they won't, but my "guess" is they will), and the car will be nicely balanced...I doubt that it will look similar to what's in that pic though.

I agree with you--and I think those changes will be along the lines of what the M division ends up producing....I think people are nuts for saying a 50 HP increase over the 135 wouldnt be enough--because with the additions you mention, the car will be MUCH more capable out of the box over a 135.....

True, you can get a piggyback for the N54, increase your tire/wheel widths, change the suspension, etc. on a 135 or 335--but it is the same old argument. Do you prefer a car tuned by BMW (M division) or a car tuned by aftermarket companies (Burger, Vishnu, Dinan, etc.)? Personally, I would rather have the work product of the true BMW experts, with no disrespect intended to the aftermarket companies. It is just impossible for one of those companies to have the same level of understanding of all the car's internal components, and how one change here will affect something else over there, as the folks at BMW, particularly the M divison......

I love tinkering with a car and trying the good products that companies put out to make the 135, 335 better--but it is just not the same, to me, as hopping in an M3, M Coupe, or the upcoming M1. Those cars are just built with a different purpose in mind, and all you have to do is drive one vs. a heavily modded 1er or 3er to understand that.....

[135i, MD]

Hey guys, since the current 135i can beat (barely) the 335i in a footrace, is it reasonable to believe that the future M1 will be able to beat the M3?

[ORIGIN M.]

Anything is reasonable to believe...The M3 is going to be getting a power bump too!

Originally Posted by 135i, MD

Hey guys, since the current 135i can beat (barely) the 335i in a footrace, is it reasonable to believe that the future M1 will be able to beat the M3?

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by 135i, MD

Hey guys, since the current 135i can beat (barely) the 335i in a footrace, is it reasonable to believe that the future M1 will be able to beat the M3?

I see no reason why the smallest car in the lineup shouldn't also be the fastest. For me, I'm only going to buy a larger car if I need the space, and I go into it knowing I'm making a compromise, just like the difference between the current M3 and M5.

The M1 should be close to 400lbs lighter than the M3, so BMW would almost have to gimp it to prevent it from being the faster of the two. I really hope they don't do that.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

I see no reason why the smallest car in the lineup shouldn't also be the fastest. For me, I'm only going to buy a larger car if I need the space, and I go into it knowing I'm making a compromise, just like the difference between the current M3 and M5.

The M1 should be close to 400lbs lighter than the M3, so BMW would almost have to gimp it to prevent it from being the faster of the two. I really hope they don't do that.

Per Scott26....looks like 345 HP is the figure....now, will that be a true number or an underrated number, like with the N54?

At 345 HP, you would need the reduction in weight in comparison to the M3 in order to get close in terms of quantifyable performance between the two....

Apparently more details coming, so we will see.....

[Spartikus]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

Per Scott26....looks like 345 HP is the figure....now, will that be a true number or an underrated number, like with the N54?

At 345 HP, you would need the reduction in weight in comparison to the M3 in order to get close in terms of quantifyable performance between the two....

Apparently more details coming, so we will see.....

No way in hell that is the "true number." We're looking at around 380hp at the crank. It's only in typical BMW fashion. Even the X5/6M's are underrated.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

Per Scott26....looks like 345 HP is the figure....now, will that be a true number or an underrated number, like with the N54?

At 345 HP, you would need the reduction in weight in comparison to the M3 in order to get close in terms of quantifyable performance between the two....

Apparently more details coming, so we will see.....

At 345Hp and $50k, I'll take a pass. It's going to get blown off the road. This car won't be much lighter than a 135i, (150lbs at best) and I don't really see why they'd bother if that's all they're going to do.

[ORIGIN M.]

Correct, now Im glad I'm not the only one that gets this, and besides it is the total package anyways!.

Originally Posted by Spartikus

No way in hell that is the "true number." We're looking at around 380hp at the crank. It's only in typical BMW fashion. Even the X5/6M's are underrated.

[hawc]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

At 345hp it's going to get blown off the road.

By what? Corvettes? Vipers?

345hp is a very respectable number. To put things in perspective it wasn't long ago that a car like this made 'only' 400hp.




I think we forget just how much 345hp is in an era of 1000hp hypercars like the Bugatti.

[ORIGIN M.]

^ Yep, not long ago...

[AlBel1214]

I think if they pushed it up to the high 300's would be awesome.. It would be nice to not have to really even add a tune and be faster or at least as fast as modded jb3 135's...

[Jaguar66]

!