To our surprise, BMW decided to leave home the Valencia Orange 1M and bring out at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, a prototype in the beautiful Alpine White color. The highly-awaited and unique 1M comes to Geneva for its European debut prior to the official launch in May.
BMW 1 Series M Coupe is only offered in three colors, the previously mentioned Valencia Orange, Alpine White and the metallic Sapphire Black.
The new 1M goes on sale in the US on May 16 and the demand for the car has exceeded the expectations, mostly due to limited supply and very attractive pricing, $47,010.
BMW 1M is powered by the N4 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter I-6 engine. For the 1M, the turbocharger, exhaust system, and ECU have been revised to produce 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, though up to 369 pound-feet are available temporarily in overboost mode. Redline is found at 7000 rpm.
Even though not officially confirmed, the 1M is said to be faster on Nurburgring than the previous generation E46 M3.
In person, the Alpine White brings out the widebody physique of the 1M. The front and rear fenders stand out even more and the overall impression screams of aggressiveness. While we continue to be fans of the Valencia Orange paint, the 1M is starting to grow on us and makes the final choice even harder, for us and for any other customer ordering the car.
