BMW E82 1er M Coupe (Spy pics & Info)

As previously reported, BMW is working on a high-performance 1-Series model to slot below the M3. A new report out of the U.K. suggests the car — which will be based on the 135i — is the top priority for BMW’s “M” division in Munich and its new management team.

BMW hopes the new model will attract new customers who might otherwise be unable to afford any of the current M models. M division chief Kay Segler is said to be one of the biggest supporters of the idea. An BMW source told Autocar Segler, who oversaw the development of the MINI Cooper S, has made the 1-Series M a priority over building a competitor to the Audi R8.

in the new "AMS" interview mentions Kay Segler the autumn or end 2010, on which there is first information available (press).
car maybe introduced in spring 2011 - probably Geneva

S'Pimp said:

in the new "AMS" interview mentions Kay Segler the autumn or end 2010, on which there is first information available (press).
car maybe introduced in spring 2011 - probably Geneva

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But I will it be an M car?.

SKYSONY said:

But I will it be an M car?.

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Do you mean, if it will wear the M badge, or if it will be a proper sportscar?

Giannis said:

Do you mean, if it will wear the M badge, or if it will be a proper sportscar?

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The first one.

quote from ams: " ...M-Variant - based on todays 1er Series."

So yes ^

I´m still not completly sure, as EnI and Scott have always said that is will be created by the M Division but wouldn´t have the M badge.

SKYSONY said:

I´m still not completly sure, as EnI and Scott have always said that is will be created by the M Division but wouldn´t have the M badge.

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Problem:

M1 trademark has a certain cache. Marketing guys know it would not be wise to put such an important trademark on M version of 1er. But let's wait ...

The car will certainly be M engineered but the question remains what badge will it wear. M? CS? CSi? Tii? GTS? That's on marketing dept. & management board to decide - just like it was in the case of 3er / 4er / M3 / M4 for 3er coupe & cabrio variants.

Expect an upgrade of 135i Performance Package + Power Kit ... slightly reworked in M way, offered in standard package. The most work will be done on chassis & ECU - to fit M character better. No revolutionary solutions in engine area though since the development time is very short.

It's more of an after-thought. They are considering to offer a limited edition of the car (limited production) - to spark a desire for next generation sporty 1er (ie "tii").

The next generation of 1er - based on new platform - will be made with a sporty version in mind, and not being limited in production numbers. Therefore the chassis will be much more capable than current one - which wasn't made for possible M version.

But don't expect cheap M car. This sporty 1er will be far from being cheap & affordable. Sure it will be cheaper than M3 but ...

Btw, Mr. Segler said no M7 & Z4M - only M versions of 1er, 3er, 5er, 6er & the X5/X6. Sure he can not talk about Z2 yet.

More then certain tech the (driving) character is important for M cars.
No M hybrids & M electro cars & M Hydrogen cars in the near feature - but the cars will feature certain EfficientDynamics solutions. Also no diesels: but there will be diesel models with M-packages which in the future will be more functional than cosmetic (analog to Audi S models).
Different M cars will present different characters - according to the customer pool & segment they are in.

Mr. Segler thinks an affordable M car (like 1er M) is much more important for the brand image then an M supercar.

It looks like M3 GTS & Performance Parts for certain models like 1er, 3er, Z will have to do the trick for more race-oriented BMW drivers. While M cars will even more focus on double Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde role: being extremely capable & drivable daily car which can become an extreme sports car via M button.

Also: Mr. Segler says the mos important goal in M GmbH is profitability in line with BMW Group "Number ONE" strategy. Profitability being more important than sales numbers themselves. And that M has to be more dynamic & flexible than ever.

Bye bye then to the M5 with KERS?.

EnI said:

Btw, Mr. Segler said no M7 & Z4M -

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No Z4M Now that's just plain STUPID

^ Not every model needs an M imo. If the 1er M replaces the Z4 M, everything is fine. 1er is more suited for the M treatment than the hardtop roadster Z4 anyways...

An E82 M sounds like music to my ears... but I'll believe it when I see it.

klier said:

^ Not every model needs an M imo. If the 1er M replaces the Z4 M, everything is fine. 1er is more suited for the M treatment than the hardtop roadster Z4 anyways...

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Agreed that not all need M versions... but it's not up the the 1erM to replace the Z4M... but more the Z4M should replace X5M/X6M.

imo the nomenclature conflict was always a pretty lame excuse to not build a M variant of the 1er considering how many commandments BMW broke with the X5/X6 M. If its going to spin money for BMW you can bet your dingle berries they're going to make it.....and badge it M1 too if they have too!

I am still confident that we will see an M variant of the current Z4 and possibly a coupe as well but its not going to be a while.

^^ Yeah, maybe with the facelift....BMW said they wouldn't do another CSL either, but they came with something even crazier What they say can be turned the other way around just as easy, they do this all the time.

siko said:

Agreed that not all need M versions... but it's not up the the 1erM to replace the Z4M... but more the Z4M should replace X5M/X6M.

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lol, that's another way to look at it But 1er M and Z4 M sort of play in the same game, while X5 M is something vastly different....

klier said:

lol, that's another way to look at it But 1er M and Z4 M sort of play in the same game, while X5 M is something vastly different....

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Not really... 1er is a compact sports car, while the Z4 is a roadster... other then somewhat similar size, they have different characteristics (proportions, wheelbase, driving position, etc) , different competitors and overall different aims.

Put it another way... the Z4M and the 1er M would not be considered by the same buyer.

As for the X M models... yes they are completely different... but different is not always good.

For starters - It's a crime that one can buy a X5 M and X6 M, but no Z4M or M1 is to be found - at the moment.

BMW has to create a Z4M at some point in the not-so-distant future, period. Its direct competitor is the SLK AMG, and it only makes sense that BMW, as a proper luxury brand, would release a drop-top Z4M to keep up appearances and satisfy a narrow but important niche.

Plans for the Z4M and M1 don't intersect and shouldn't have anything to do with one another. Neither satisfies or qualifies the other's existence.

To keep the M1, or whatever it will be called, from upsetting the alternate reality that is BMW's product tree it is likely that it will be treated differently than the rest of the M-tuned cars.

Like some of you have already said - I imagine a prohibitively expensive price tag, limited production and a cost-to-performance tradeoff aimed directly at purists who fit the "right profile" and are willing to fork over extra money for something that's probably $10k too expensive, but nothing short of sublime to drive.

The typical poseur-class buyer will opt for the M3, and all will be well in the universe.

I think BMW has handled the release of the "cheap" 1er best as they could in the US, and I think they'll mange this situation just as expertly.

siko said:

Put it another way... the Z4M and the 1er M would not be considered by the same buyer.

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I understand and agree, hence my 'sort of' in the quoted sentence But still, both Z4 and 1er are based on the 3er platform and for M that is pretty much the same basic car compared to the AWD 2400 kg+ truck that is X5...
But lets not make this a Z4 M vs X5 M thread...

The folks who would be interested in a Z4M and a M1 are bookends of the BMW audience.

In the world of internet car debate - way too much importance is placed on car platforms, often ending up with oversimplified and often misleading declarations of "Car A is just Car B with a different skin."

Despite mechanical overlap, the 1er and Z4 are two very, very different cars, and both demand a M-tuned variant within 1 year - 2 years tops.

Z4 and 1er are different cars, sure. But not very, very different cars. Some oversimplify things maybe, but some make it more complicated than it actually is.....

There are more similarities between those cars than between any other car. And please don't put words in my mouth. I haven't said the 1er and Z4 are the same car with the same core audience. Of course they are not. I meant to say they're more alike than a Z4/1er vs X5.