One of the very first 1M reviews revisited (December 2010)

[Artemis]

Late 2010 the Skiddmark team was allowed to film (static display) the final version of the 1M (thus including one of the final tweaks: the ActiveE LED strip integrated into the headlamp design) and comment on the concept and design.

Back in those days (December 2010) reviews up-close were scarce and uncertainty roamed whether the 1M would be a (commercial) success. As we know, the 1M project was met with reluctance by the BMW Board (the first proposal for building a 1M was rejected - see http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...php?t=841751): a one-off, ///M car on leash (to avoid stepping too much on M3 toes), maximum 2700 cars, one-year production run, tight budget and time-frame.

The rest is history: the same Board could not have fathomed that by mid 2012 actually 6309 cars would have rolled out of the Leipzig plant and that that particular pocket rocket got the ///M brand some revitalizing accolades.

So a couple of years later - definitely from hindsight - it's worth re-reading the Skiddmark intuitive impressions. It turned out that they were right on many counts - they realized that they got their hands on a small car with the potential to become a classic:
http://skiddmark.com/2010/12/in-the-...eries-m-coupe/

The Skiddmark team also posted its video (static display) back in those day (posted on Dec 13, 2010):

[IEDEI]

thanks for posting this! i'd never seen it before.

i am, however, pretty confused about some of the components of the 1M.

does anybody have a defined list of what components in the 1M came from the E9X M3 and what came from the E46 M3? The skidmark article makes it seem like a lot of things were taken from the old E46, whereas i was always under the assumption that more stuff was adopted from the E9X M3. Is there a breakdown somewhere of this 'parts bin' activity? Thanks in advance!

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

thanks for posting this! i'd never seen it before.

i am, however, pretty confused about some of the components of the 1M.

does anybody have a defined list of what components in the 1M came from the E9X M3 and what came from the E46 M3? The skidmark article makes it seem like a lot of things were taken from the old E46, whereas i was always under the assumption that more stuff was adopted from the E9X M3. Is there a breakdown somewhere of this 'parts bin' activity? Thanks in advance!

Next to nothing from the E46 M3. Lots from the E9x M3.

Neil

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

Is there a breakdown somewhere of this 'parts bin' activity?

This PDF document is a fairly good start pointing out differences between an E82 1M and an E82 non M or an E9X M3) (36 pages - 1.0 MB):
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/attac...2&d=1396203865
(also available at the BMW 1M Manual sticky: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...82&postcount=1)

See also, to some extent, the BMW 1M Press Kit 2011 (international) (35 pages - 0.5 MB): http://www.1addicts.com/forums/attac...4&d=1329761227

[MrRoboto]

That was the video that sold me on the 1M.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Next to nothing from the E46 M3. Lots from the E9x M3.

Neil

Originally Posted by Artemis

This PDF document is a fairly good start pointing out differences between an E82 1M and an E82 non M or an E9X M3) (36 pages - 1.0 MB):
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/attac...2&d=1396203865
(also available at the BMW 1M Manual sticky: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...82&postcount=1)

See also, to some extent, the BMW 1M Press Kit 2011 (international) (35 pages - 0.5 MB): http://www.1addicts.com/forums/attac...4&d=1329761227

thanks artemis.....i just quickly flipped through the 1st document and about the only thing i noticed relating to the E46 M3 was the rear diff, which was also adapted to the E60 M5 and E9X M3......so not much E46 in the car at all! Skidmark was pretty off the mark with their E46 M3 adaptation statements....they even state the front and rear axles are from an E46 M3 in their article...which is pretty much wrong.

[Acidblast]

most of been some editing or camera effects, but how did they get the angel eyes not to appear yellow?

[Berra]

Clarkson says something about the diff in the Top Gear video when he drives it, everything else he mentions is about the E9x M3.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

not much E46 in the car at all!

Just for the record: when the E82 was conceived and the idea of a 1M/M1 surfaced, evaluation models featured the E46 CSL engine but it proved to be too heavy for the car.

[mrspin]

here is the link to their subsequent roadtest etc.

http://skiddmark.com/2011/06/3-reaso...eries-m-coupe/

I particularly like this when he responds to queries in the comments section of that article:

I think most of us were expecting either an embellished 135i or something which fell short of the 'true' M-car experience, but instead we found a car that is quite possibly one of the best models BMW M have ever made.

As I've said elsewhere, I would choose a 1M over the more expensive E92 M3 and anyone who currently runs a E46 M3 would be blown away by how much quicker and more capable the 1M is.

Rather than thinking of it as just a 1 Series, it actually feels more like step up from the E46 M3 - without the raspy exhuast and in a much tighter and more agile package.

I wonder what he thinks now, 3 years on..

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by mrspin

I wonder what he thinks now, 3 years on..

In the comments section the author (who was an M3 CSL owner for almost 8 years) posted last Summer:

"If you take a look on AutoTrader at the moment you'll find 2-year old cars listed at £38-£39k, that would have made it an even more compelling purchase back in 2011. Now why didn't I take my own advice and buy one? "

[torquedemon]

When I placed a deposit for my 1M and had to wait 6 months for delivery, I would watch this video on a daily basis. I watched it so much that I would hear that music in my sleep.