Quick Takes: Driving the BMW 1M

[brave1heart]

http://www.onehotlap.com/2011/09/qui...ng-bmw-1m.html

Will post with an update as soon as I get a chance to try it at the autocross and track.

[MrRoboto]

There is not a single part of the 1M that is significantly better than the 135i?

There certainly is..suspension, differential, power, looks, gearbox, etc. Each on its own is far superior to the 135.

[brave1heart]

Originally Posted by MrRoboto

There is not a single part of the 1M that is significantly better than the 135i?

There certainly is..suspension, differential, power, looks, gearbox, etc. Each on its own is far superior to the 135.

Yes, they are all better and add up to a significant upgrade. My point is that the difference between the 135i and 1M does not seem as significant as is typically seen for M cars. A big part of that reasoning is that the 135i is already very good out of the box. If you take something easy to measure like power for example, you go from 300 HP in the 335i to 420HP in the E92 M3. For the 1M, the difference is significantly smaller (percentage wise). That said, I still think the 1M is a great car and it will reach cult status. It is very responsive, a tight ride, and everything feels right in it.

[b33g33]

Originally Posted by brave1heart

Yes, they are all better and add up to a significant upgrade. My point is that the difference between the 135i and 1M does not seem as significant as is typically seen for M cars. A big part of that reasoning is that the 135i is already very good out of the box. If you take something easy to measure like power for example, you go from 300 HP in the 335i to 420HP in the E92 M3. For the 1M, the difference is significantly smaller (percentage wise). That said, I still think the 1M is a great car and it will reach cult status. It is very responsive, a tight ride, and everything feels right in it.

I would argue that outside of the similarities between the N54 engine versions, the 1M is as different from the 135 as the M3 is from the 335.

[mfinch99]

Originally Posted by brave1heart

Yes, they are all better and add up to a significant upgrade. My point is that the difference between the 135i and 1M does not seem as significant as is typically seen for M cars. A big part of that reasoning is that the 135i is already very good out of the box. If you take something easy to measure like power for example, you go from 300 HP in the 335i to 420HP in the E92 M3. For the 1M, the difference is significantly smaller (percentage wise). That said, I still think the 1M is a great car and it will reach cult status. It is very responsive, a tight ride, and everything feels right in it.

The 2011 335i compared to the 2011 M3 is apples to oranges(I6 vs. V8). A closer apples to apples would be the comparing the 2006 335i to the 2006 M3. The 2006 335i (306 bhp@ 5800 rpm, 295 ft lbs @ 1300 rpm) against the 2006 M3 (333 hp@ 7,900 rpm; 262 ft lb@ 4,900 rpm)

[MrRoboto]

Originally Posted by brave1heart

Yes, they are all better and add up to a significant upgrade. My point is that the difference between the 135i and 1M does not seem as significant as is typically seen for M cars. A big part of that reasoning is that the 135i is already very good out of the box. If you take something easy to measure like power for example, you go from 300 HP in the 335i to 420HP in the E92 M3. For the 1M, the difference is significantly smaller (percentage wise). That said, I still think the 1M is a great car and it will reach cult status. It is very responsive, a tight ride, and everything feels right in it.

Well as someone who lived with a 135 for three years and now drives a 1M I would say you are dead wrong. The 135 never lacked power, it's shortcoming was that it couldn't put it down effectively and without significant suspension upgrades the 135 handling was terrible.

Following your logic, lets use torque as an example. The M3 is a step backwards compared to the 335i.

One thing we have learned from the release of the 1M is that everyone and their dog seems to have an auto review blog, video review, etc regardless of qualifications.

[brave1heart]

Well, it is the first M car with an engine that was not specifically built by the M division, no? Agree on the limited slip, would make a great difference. This is probably the biggest improvement in the car right there.

Yes, everyone is auto journalist these days. I am an HPDE instructor, Boston Chapter Autocross Co-chair, Boston Bimmer columnist www.boston-bmwcca.org/bimmer/online.aspx for 6 years, I do 10 track days, 10 AX events and a couple of karting events a year. I'm not your typical automotive geek who has no clue about performance driving. And that still does not make me an authority on the 1M, especially since I have not had a chance to push it hard. It's just an opinion, maybe a reference point. Take it with a grain of salt and enjoy your car. It IS a great ride!

[Moo]

According to this very well-written review, these are the key differences from the "regular" N54 powerplant.

1. engine/flywheel mods
2. cooling/exhaust mods
3. software tune

The N54B30TO under the hood is a revised version in both hardware and software. It’s an engine M engineers were familiar with as they were the ones who originally massaged it for the Z4 35is. Combine this with the knowledge that the twin-turbo N54 has much potential to create power and you get yourself revised engine with even more power and torque throughout the range.

M worked on key internal updates to the piston rings and the lighter flywheel. The latter was made 3 lbs lighter – as light as they could go without sacrificing longevity. They also looked at cooling to make sure the 1M would be able to handle the hot-temps of a full track day. Then they turned they attention to the exhaust. First to give maximum flow and then (with just weeks to go before development was frozen) they tuned it for sound.

However, it was what the software wizards achieved that really brought the car alive. M worked tirelessly on the engine mapping throughout the development process. And according to one M employee who recounted it to me, “we kept finding more and more power (some of which they hadn’t expected) within the power band. And as we did this we continuously revised the software to fully take advantage of the N54B30TO.”

http://www.bimmerfile.com/2011/08/24...upe-long-term/

[bdaddylo]

Originally Posted by brave1heart

Well, it is the first M car with an engine that was not specifically built by the M division, no? Agree on the limited slip, would make a great difference. This is probably the biggest improvement in the car right there.

Yes, everyone is auto journalist these days. I am an HPDE instructor, Boston Chapter Autocross Co-chair, Boston Bimmer columnist www.boston-bmwcca.org/bimmer/online.aspx for 6 years, I do 10 track days, 10 AX events and a couple of karting events a year. I'm not your typical automotive geek who has no clue about performance driving. And that still does not make me an authority on the 1M, especially since I have not had a chance to push it hard. It's just an opinion, maybe a reference point. Take it with a grain of salt and enjoy your car. It IS a great ride!

Despite the S prefix, the S52 isn't a true/proper M motor either.

[mPlasticDesign]

Originally Posted by brave1heart

.... you go from 300 HP in the 335i to 420HP in the E92 M3.....

M3 hp is 414 BTW.

[Pig Farmer]

Would it be possible to flash the 135i with the 1M software?

[stefan]

Originally Posted by Pig Farmer

Would it be possible to flash the 135i with the 1M software?

If you upgraded the intercooler, then I don't see why not. There is already a performance tune out there for $500 I believe that gets you closer.

[brave1heart]

I stand corrected - I meant to say 420 PS (414 bhp).

Handling was already fairly decent out of the box in the 135i. The e-diff allowed driving the car at close to 10/10s without worrying that the rear end might come around. However, it was also the most limiting factor in the car because you just cannot rotate it when you need a bigger slip angle. Take at look at these autocross results from one of the best series in the country: http://www.onehotlap.com/2011/08/top...ca-boston.html. A well set up 135i was already very competitive. I think the limited slip will give the 1M that extra dancing ability and make it a lot more fun and involving to drive (among other improvements).

[MrRoboto]

Originally Posted by brave1heart

I stand corrected - I meant to say 420 PS (414 bhp).

Handling was already fairly decent out of the box in the 135i. The e-diff allowed driving the car at close to 10/10s without worrying that the rear end might come around.

Out of the box the 135i's handling is decent compared to what?

It is obvious your 10/10s is not on par with others.

[JimD]

The e36 M3 engine for the vehicles sold in the U. S. was not built by the M division either. So the 1M is not the first M vehicle with a non-M engine. I doubt the X5M and X6M engines are built by the M division either but I haven't researched it.

The 1M is kind of a parts car. But the parts come from other great vehicles. M3 suspension and a very good turbo 6.

Jim

[brave1heart]

Originally Posted by MrRoboto

Out of the box the 135i's handling is decent compared to what?

It is obvious your 10/10s is not on par with others.

I had a student at Tremblant 10 days ago who was the fastest driver in run group A with a 135i with stock engine and stock springs. Car only had -2.5 camber in the front, shocks, Nitto NT01s and Hawk HT10 pads. All students in the RG were advanced (min 15 track days) and had fast and well set up cars.

Too funny, 10/10ths was my nickname after the 2005 One Lap of America You can check my autocross results easily so we can settle that dig.

My point is that you can get the max out of the 135 very fast and not be able to improve because of the e-diff interfering with the slip angle. The 1M will not have that problem.

[brave1heart]

Was talking to a good friend and 135i owner yesterday and he thought that there wasn't much difference in turbo lag between the 135i and the 1M. Part of the reason why I thought the 1M has less turbo lag is because most 135i I've driven had a tune, which increases turbo lag. FWIW...

[James T. Kirk]

Lucky guy. The writer's buddy wants a 1M on a whim and just so happens to bump into one a showroom floor. Oy ve!
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