The BMW 1M is considered by many M fans to be the best M car to come out of Munich during the first half of the 2010s decade. An immediate hit with the press and enthusiasts alike, it was claimed by the then Top Gear team (Clarkson-era) to be the best car since the Golf GTi. And owners don’t seem to disagree – nor did the market, with resale prices quickly outstripping the new car forecourt price – an almost unheard-of occurrence. Only 450 1M coupes were made for the UK RHD market, and they were so oversubscribed that BMW staff and network customers were stripped of their allocations to provide cars for a list of celebrity orders. Compact, powerful, and as lively as a box of inebriated frogs, the M1 was a fabulous way to launch BMW M into the turbocharged era, immediately embarrassing those who said that turbos were the beginning of the end. Only produced in manual and pushing out 335 horsepower from the N55 powerplant, the 1M was the last M car to use hydraulic steering, making it one of the last true enthusiast’s M cars of the era. One look at those bulging arches and fat rear end, with its angry quad pipes and squat stance, tells you all you need to know. Not a car for the faint of heart…as you’ll see from this clip from Clarkson’s Top Gear (which certainly helped BMW sell out at the time)
This particular 1M is really quite exceptional. Finished in the signature (and at the time 1M-only) Valencia Orange – which was also the launch colour, and black leather interior with contrasting orange stitching – which stands out all the more with an orange car, this 1M is drivable, affordable and still low mileage. Our technicians carried out a full inspection, and are seriously impressed with their findings – to quote; ‘looks more like twenty thousand miles than forty’. The list of items needed – despite coming straight from the owner to us – to bring this 1M up to retail condition, is made up of tiny details such as slightly discoloured badges or the out of date mobility kit, which illustrates perfectly how carefully this car has been looked after during its life. This 1M would fit perfectly into any collection, or would be equally practical and useable as a daily driver. A proper Legend…¨
For more information on this cracking 1M, or to book a visit, please contact our showroom team on +44 1825 740456 or sales@munichlegends.com
