1M or M2C

[Tornado1M]

Alright.....allow me to throw in my 2 cents here!

I've been a BMW enthusiast for as long as I can remember. I've had the pleasure of owning a wide range of vehicles from a BMW coupe, sedan and SUV. I was in the market for an M2 in 2017 and was very close to buying one 3 times over. It is a wonderful car in many respects. However, for me there was something missing...... it's hard to put a finger on it. After each test drive I just felt disconnected and was less excited about it. The test drives actually turned me off. The car is beautiful, it's a perfect size, it is technologically advanced......and yet, I found myself unsure about moving forward.

I gave up and we were going into the winter months. So, I decided I'd just wait till next spring. During the holidays I was at a party and got to talking with some who had a 1M. He was awesome and allowed me to take it out for a drive. It was cold out but dry and no inclement weather....so, I drove it and spent about 30 minuets going figuring it out.

Long story short.....I absolutely fell in love with the car and felt so in tune with it.....as cheesy as it sounds "I felt the car was tailor made for me". I just knew then this was what I wanted to buy. It's the connection to the car that I believe we are all looking for.

So, 1M, M2, M2C....... whatever you decide, it's personal. Only you know what you have a strong feeling, connection or preference for.

Good luck!

[Nkc]

After my 14 day Euro Delivery of the M2C, I wanted to give my unbiased opinion/comparison between the 1M and the M2C for your enjoyment. TL;DR skip to the last paragraph.

A little background info and disclaimer. I've owned my first 1M for just over 4 years with FBO that was more dedicated for the track. As of this year, I returned it back to a more streetable and enjoyable car with stock power, stock dps, street alignment and less bitey pads. Honestly, I feel the car is great in its stock form. Several months ago I bought another 1M (RHD) in Hong Kong because that's how much I love this car. The RHD 1M is completely stock aside from Ohlins R&T that came with it. IMO, the Ohlins are better than the KW V3s.

I've always lusted for an M2 because of its looks but after test driving both manual and DCT, I felt underwhelmed as it felt soft and numb. It also didn't make sense for me to add another redundant car at that time but I did place a deposit for the next M2 (CS/CSL/GTS etc) just in case. After 2 years, the M2C was born and my wife needed a car that she could track and DD and we decided on getting a DCT and doing my lifelong dream ED. After 14 days driving 2500kms in Germany, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, and most importantly, the Green Hell, I feel its time to compare the oneM and the twoC.

LOOKS: M2C
The 1M has a front end that only a mother can love and I'm that mother. No one in their right mind would say that the 1M looks better than the M2C.

COLOR: M2C
The VO is great on the 1M but there's just something special about the HS on the M2C. The color changes and it seems like a different color every time I look at it. Pictures don't do it justice as it always seems white so you must see it in person to decide if that color's for you.

COMFORT/RIDE: M2C
I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort/ride of the M2C and I will even say its the most impressive part of the car. I wouldn't use the word soft to describe it as it still feels very tight and yet compliant. I personally will not do anything to the suspension.

SOUND SYSTEM: M2C
Standard BMW professional on the 1M compared to the HK on the M2C, no brainer. The HK exceeded my expectations but I'm not a big audiophile guy.

INTERIOR: M2C
Neither of these cars have an interior to brag about. My Z3 M wins lol.

SEATS: M2C
The M2C doesn't hug as much as the 1M seats but they're better looking and I'd say even more comfortable than the 1M's. My wife kept praising the seats during our road trip. I prefer the 1M seats for the track and the M2C seats for daily, weird.

SOUND: 1M
The akra sure don't make it a fair comparison but my stock 1M (RHD) sounds better. I didn't mind the ASD on the M2C as I feel its a great balance between comfort (insulation) and hearing some noise when you want to.

BRAKES: 1M
Unfair due to the Essex/AP BBK that's on the 1M. Night and day difference between the "Performance" brakes on the M2C as I experienced quite a bit of fade on the Ring about half ways thru. If the brakes were an option, I would not get it due to the added unsprung weight and mediocre performance.

TRANSMISSION: DRAW
I'm a big manual guy but there comes a time that an auto makes a bit of sense. I believe that the DCT fits the M2C very well especially with the S55 but I wouldn't have a 1M in DCT if it was an option. I'm not gonna try to ruffle any feathers here so lets call it a draw. The manual in the M2 didn't feel right when I test drove it. I guess you can't go wrong either way, it just depends on your intentions for the car.

WEIGHT: 1M
For obvious reasons, the 1M wins but I can say that the M2C didn't feel heavy at all. The M2C is definitely not as nimble as the 1M but it does the job very well.

POWER: M2C
Power is very linear and I felt minimal lag. My 1M when fully tuned felt faster but the power was almost impossible to manage. The M2C pulled like a motherxxxxer when I was cruising between 200-265km/h on the autobahn. The S55 is a great engine and I don't doubt that the advertised 405HP is extremely underrated.

HANDLING: 1M
Steering feel is again night and day difference. They're difference cars in this comparison. The M2C's steering feels numb but again, it kind of suits the car so I'm not really complaining. Just driving them back to back that you realize the future sucks sometimes.

STABILITY: M2C
The 1M seems twitchy and nervous at all speeds but that's sort of the lovable factor of it. The M2C felt stable but yet a tad floaty under hard braking but that could be due to the steering feel. M2C is a great cruiser and as I said before, the comfort level/ride was the most impressive part of the the M2C.

TECH: M2C
Not saying the tech in the M2c is great but it has more than the 1M. The M1 and M2 buttons come in very handy for customization as well as the tire pressure/tire temp gauge. iDrive drives me a bit nuts though.

CONCLUSION: 1M
If both of these cars were offered new to me at the same price, the 1M would be the one I'd take. Even if it was slightly used (lets say under 20k kms) at the same price, I'd still get the 1M. It's hard not to fall in love with a car after a beautiful euro roadtrip with my family and experiencing the autobahn, the Ring, and 6 countries for two weeks in a brand new car. The M2C performed exceptionally well and I wouldn't wish for another car to do my ED with. As much as I loved that car during the trip, the answer was clear when I took the 1M for a drive when I got home. The 1M is special. With its quirks, temperament, steering, and presence, its not hard to understand why there's such a cult following for the 1M.

[10"]

Nkc thank you for the in depth review!!! Enjoyed reading it! I don't agree about the looks part as I think the 1M looks incredible from all angles but looks of course are very subjective.

[Tornado1M]

Thanks for sharing! Happy you had a great ED with the family.....that is certainly on my bucket list

[1'M Blue]

Great write up thanks for sharing .

[duder13]

Originally Posted by Nkc

After my 14 day Euro Delivery of the M2C, I wanted to give my unbiased opinion/comparison between the 1M and the M2C for your enjoyment. TL;DR skip to the last paragraph.

A little background info and disclaimer. I've owned my first 1M for just over 4 years with FBO that was more dedicated for the track. As of this year, I returned it back to a more streetable and enjoyable car with stock power, stock dps, street alignment and less bitey pads. Honestly, I feel the car is great in its stock form. Several months ago I bought another 1M (RHD) in Hong Kong because that's how much I love this car. The RHD 1M is completely stock aside from Ohlins R&T that came with it. IMO, the Ohlins are better than the KW V3s.

I've always lusted for an M2 because of its looks but after test driving both manual and DCT, I felt underwhelmed as it felt soft and numb. It also didn't make sense for me to add another redundant car at that time but I did place a deposit for the next M2 (CS/CSL/GTS etc) just in case. After 2 years, the M2C was born and my wife needed a car that she could track and DD and we decided on getting a DCT and doing my lifelong dream ED. After 14 days driving 2500kms in Germany, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, and most importantly, the Green Hell, I feel its time to compare the oneM and the twoC.

LOOKS: M2C
The 1M has a front end that only a mother can love and I'm that mother. No one in their right mind would say that the 1M looks better than the M2C.

COLOR: M2C
The VO is great on the 1M but there's just something special about the HS on the M2C. The color changes and it seems like a different color every time I look at it. Pictures don't do it justice as it always seems white so you must see it in person to decide if that color's for you.

COMFORT/RIDE: M2C
I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort/ride of the M2C and I will even say its the most impressive part of the car. I wouldn't use the word soft to describe it as it still feels very tight and yet compliant. I personally will not do anything to the suspension.

SOUND SYSTEM: M2C
Standard BMW professional on the 1M compared to the HK on the M2C, no brainer. The HK exceeded my expectations but I'm not a big audiophile guy.

INTERIOR: M2C
Neither of these cars have an interior to brag about. My Z3 M wins lol.

SEATS: M2C
The M2C doesn't hug as much as the 1M seats but they're better looking and I'd say even more comfortable than the 1M's. My wife kept praising the seats during our road trip. I prefer the 1M seats for the track and the M2C seats for daily, weird.

SOUND: 1M
The akra sure don't make it a fair comparison but my stock 1M (RHD) sounds better. I didn't mind the ASD on the M2C as I feel its a great balance between comfort (insulation) and hearing some noise when you want to.

BRAKES: 1M
Unfair due to the Essex/AP BBK that's on the 1M. Night and day difference between the "Performance" brakes on the M2C as I experienced quite a bit of fade on the Ring about half ways thru. If the brakes were an option, I would not get it due to the added unsprung weight and mediocre performance.

TRANSMISSION: DRAW
I'm a big manual guy but there comes a time that an auto makes a bit of sense. I believe that the DCT fits the M2C very well especially with the S55 but I wouldn't have a 1M in DCT if it was an option. I'm not gonna try to ruffle any feathers here so lets call it a draw. The manual in the M2 didn't feel right when I test drove it. I guess you can't go wrong either way, it just depends on your intentions for the car.

WEIGHT: 1M
For obvious reasons, the 1M wins but I can say that the M2C didn't feel heavy at all. The M2C is definitely not as nimble as the 1M but it does the job very well.

POWER: M2C
Power is very linear and I felt minimal lag. My 1M when fully tuned felt faster but the power was almost impossible to manage. The M2C pulled like a motherxxxxer when I was cruising between 200-265km/h on the autobahn. The S55 is a great engine and I don't doubt that the advertised 405HP is extremely underrated.

HANDLING: 1M
Steering feel is again night and day difference. They're difference cars in this comparison. The M2C's steering feels numb but again, it kind of suits the car so I'm not really complaining. Just driving them back to back that you realize the future sucks sometimes.

STABILITY: M2C
The 1M seems twitchy and nervous at all speeds but that's sort of the lovable factor of it. The M2C felt stable but yet a tad floaty under hard braking but that could be due to the steering feel. M2C is a great cruiser and as I said before, the comfort level/ride was the most impressive part of the the M2C.

TECH: M2C
Not saying the tech in the M2c is great but it has more than the 1M. The M1 and M2 buttons come in very handy for customization as well as the tire pressure/tire temp gauge. iDrive drives me a bit nuts though.

CONCLUSION: 1M
If both of these cars were offered new to me at the same price, the 1M would be the one I'd take. Even if it was slightly used (lets say under 20k kms) at the same price, I'd still get the 1M. It's hard not to fall in love with a car after a beautiful euro roadtrip with my family and experiencing the autobahn, the Ring, and 6 countries for two weeks in a brand new car. The M2C performed exceptionally well and I wouldn't wish for another car to do my ED with. As much as I loved that car during the trip, the answer was clear when I took the 1M for a drive when I got home. The 1M is special. With its quirks, temperament, steering, and presence, its not hard to understand why there's such a cult following for the 1M.

Nice write up, and, yes, I think the 1M is better looking.

[HERR FSTIR]

I am always surprised when people mention the 1M is not an attractive looking car.

I realize those of us fortunate enough to own one are biased, but nonetheless, in my (biased) opinion the 1M is one of the best looking cars BMW has ever produced.

The front with the wide fender flares and fascia looks particularly amazing...and the ridiculously wide rear fenders and rear...well as one poster said somewhere in one of these threads..."dat ass!"

It's not beautiful in the way of the Z8, but it does capture the essence of both contemporary and classic BMWs like no other modern BMW.

And while I think the M2C is a very sharp looking car - enough to order one and will soon be taking delivery - it isn't nearly as compelling visually as the 1M.

Just my 0.02.

[10"]

Originally Posted by HERR FSTIR

I am always surprised when people mention the 1M is not an attractive looking car.

I realize those of us fortunate enough to own one are biased, but nonetheless, in my (biased) opinion the 1M is one of the best looking cars BMW has ever produced.

The front with the wide fender flares and fascia looks particularly amazing...and the ridiculously wide rear fenders and rear...well as one poster said somewhere in one of these threads..."dat ass!"

It's not beautiful in the way of the Z8, but it does capture the essence of both contemporary and classic BMWs like no other modern BMW.

And while I think the M2C is a very sharp looking car - enough to order one and will soon be taking delivery - it isn't nearly as compelling visually as the 1M.

Just my 0.02.

so well said my friend!!! agree with every word. the 1M is an amazing looking car!

so are you planning to keep both the M2C and 1M?

[HERR FSTIR]

Originally Posted by 10"

so well said my friend!!! agree with every word. the 1M is an amazing looking car!

so are you planning to keep both the M2C and 1M?

The 1M is a keeper! To paraphrase Charlton Heston, they will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Planning to eventually bring the M2C south to my home away from home in California with the intent of getting it out on the track at some point.

[CarJunkie]

Originally Posted by Nkc

The 1M has a front end that only a mother can love and I'm that mother.

LOL, I guess I'm that mother too!

[duder13]

I'll throw out a very scandalous claim. Even though it doesn't have the cool recognition factor, I'd rather drive a well sorted 135i (with the right suspension upgrades, etc.) over the M2. The 1 series is really the only post-millennium BMW I've ever been interested in.

[Tornado1M]

Does the 1M look more classy than the M2C, or is that just me? https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1532371

Started the above thread earlier in the week....basically, I feel like the 1M just has a classy look with history built into the design. The M2 looks to angular IMO and loses the iconic BMW look. Especially the M2C with its combined front grill.

[a4nut]

Originally Posted by duder13

I'll throw out a very scandalous claim. Even though it doesn't have the cool recognition factor, I'd rather drive a well sorted 135i (with the right suspension upgrades, etc.) over the M2. The 1 series is really the only post-millennium BMW I've ever been interested in.

I do, and I agree. I continue to look around as that's what I do, but I love my car.

[10"]

Originally Posted by duder13

I'll throw out a very scandalous claim. Even though it doesn't have the cool recognition factor, I'd rather drive a well sorted 135i (with the right suspension upgrades, etc.) over the M2. The 1 series is really the only post-millennium BMW I've ever been interested in.

I really love the 135. Had one before the 1M. That being said have you driven The OG N55 M2? It's a good car. It doesn't have as much character as a 1er but it's very capable and is a tribute to the idea of the 1M. I'm glad it exists I just wish it was a little rawer and more engaging.....and looked better!

[duder13]

Originally Posted by 10"

I really love the 135. Had one before the 1M. That being said have you driven The OG N55 M2? It's a good car. It doesn't have as much character as a 1er but it's very capable and is a tribute to the idea of the 1M. I'm glad it exists I just wish it was a little rawer and more engaging.....and looked better!

Yeah, there are zillions of them in the BMW club out here, so I'm pretty familiar with them. If I were buying today, and money were not object, I'd pick a 1M, then modded 135i, then an M2. If money was an issue, I'd go modded 135i, 1M and then M2.