The 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe is, in my opinion, the best M car of the last decade. There is something just pure and unfiltered about its driving experience. It’s rare and has an amazing presence. The BMW 1M Coupe came with a manual transmission only and had with one of the best feeling shifters fitted to a BMW. I love the driving style of the 1M with its turbo-on-tap anytime. No preplanning. No driving in anger, just plant your foot down and full boost is a split of a second away.
In keeping with the pure driving experience, the shocks in the BMW 1M are not adjustable. The steering is hydraulic, very direct and quick. There are no multitude of M menus in iDrive configuring steering, DCT, power and shocks. BMW is so quick to go down the rabbit hole of so much tech, the 1M is all about the driving experience.
Here at BMWBLOG we have been lucky enough to have two 2011 BMW 1M models in our family. Horatiu has owned one since new and even purchased it through the BMW European Delivery. His has been tastefully modified over the years. The other one has been in my family since new also. The second BMW 1M lives in Kansas City and it actually belongs to my stepfather who purchased it new in October of 2011.
And unexpectedly, he’s finally ready to move on from it now. I am struggling with it because I am trying to decide if I should sell my much beloved screaming V8 2011 BMW E92 M3 for the 1M, or let the 1M move on. There is no arguing that I have had the best set up ever – getting to drive, work on (DIY), and enjoy a 1M without having to pay for it. The hard part is that 1M models have retained their value so well compared to the E92 M3s.
The 1M was made only in 2011. Only 741 came to the US and only 6,300 were made worldwide, whereas the E92 M3 ran from 2008-2013.
The 1M is a fun autocross car, but prob not a track car for me especially as they appreciate in value. The E92 M3 is more controllable on a track to me. The E92 M3 has a dual personality car, happy to lumber along, or you can drive it in anger high up towards its 8400 rpm redline. Both the 1M and the M3 offer great, albeit different M driving experiences. In this case, both are manual transmissions.
We haven’t sold the 1M yet, so there is still time to keep it in the family. So I decided to put together a longer video showing the car, along with some of its best qualities.
