My impressions of 1M from DC Autoshow

[MDORPHN]

Just back from DC auto show where I got to check out a valencia orange metallic 1M.

Some quick impressions:

1) It's small and aggressive. Almost pugnacious. I like it!

2) I'm ordering it in alpine white, but the orange is pretty nice -- just not for me. The lighting and metallic quality of it also showed a surprising amount of orange peel (no pun intended) in the flat surfaces around the rear license plate.

3) It seems to sit a bit high. Despite the 19" wheels/tires, there is too much space between the top of the tire and the underside of the fender lip. It should look much better lowered 1/2" to 1".

4) I got to sit in it very briefly and found it plenty roomy. (Mind you, my frame of reference is a Z3 M Coupe.) It will take me a bit of time to adjust to the thick steering wheel rim. I also rowed the gears and thought the throws were pretty good. Not really sure it needs a short shifter.

5) Trunk is a good size and it does have split rear seats.

6) Couldn't really examine it closely enough, but ducting air to the front rotors could be tricky.

All for now.

Neil

[M3 Adjuster]

thanks Neil!

[YVES1M]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Just back from DC auto show where I got to check out a valencia orange metallic 1M.

Some quick impressions:

1) It's small and aggressive. Almost pugnacious. I like it!

2) I'm ordering it in alpine white, but the orange is pretty nice -- just not for me. The lighting and metallic quality of it also showed a surprising amount of orange peel (no pun intended) in the flat surfaces around the rear license plate.

3) It seems to sit a bit high. Despite the 19" wheels/tires, there is too much space between the top of the tire and the underside of the fender lip. It should look much better lowered 1/2" to 1".

4) I got to sit in it very briefly and found it plenty roomy. (Mind you, my frame of reference is a Z3 M Coupe.) It will take me a bit of time to adjust to the thick steering wheel rim. I also rowed the gears and thought the throws were pretty good. Not really sure it needs a short shifter.

5) Trunk is a good size and it does have split rear seats.

6) Couldn't really examine it closely enough, but ducting air to the front rotors could be tricky.

All for now.

Neil

Is the weel gap bigger than the 135?? please say no! I want to keep it stock!! we have stupid roads in montreal!!!

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by YVES1M

Is the weel gap bigger than the 135?? please say no! I want to keep it stock!! we have stupid roads in montreal!!!

Don't know. Wasn't able to make a comparison. Sorry!

Neil

[YVES1M]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Don't know. Wasn't able to make a comparison. Sorry!

Neil

I changed the suspention of all my cars.. but I'm fed up.. on picture the car looks nice, but huge wheel gap for that car is a no no.. in your opinion, is the car good looking stock?

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by YVES1M

I changed the suspention of all my cars.. but I'm fed up.. on picture the car looks nice, but huge wheel gap for that car is a no no.. in your opinion, is the car good looking stock?

Definitely. I just imagine it will look even better lowered down a bit.

Neil

[BlackFlash]

May as well throw in a couple of my thoughts from the Detroit Autoshow:

1. I thought the VO looked good. First impression was to call it "burnt orange". I'm a bit less passionate about it than some people; neither a must have or a must avoid.

2. The car looks like a 1 series should. Not overdone. The 128 and 135 look boring in comparison. (I wish they had of updated the 135 air dam for 2012...it seems stale now even compared to the 128 which got updated with the air curtains.)

3. I thought the interior was snug, but it certainly felt sporty. I fit in there well, but I question how someone 220 would feel. It's an intimate experience.

4. The interior is very simple, which is nice as the car is meant to be a back to basics sports car. But this also makes it seem plain (and dare I say dated) in comparison to the S4 and many of the other cars I sat in next. The instrument cluster just looks old to me for the most part. I have no attachment to the instrument clusters of the M3s of yore (e.g. E30), so I probably would have gone for something with a more modern look myself.

5. All the alcantara made the cockpit feel almost like something meant for a video game if you ask me lol. Definitely gave it a sporty edge, at the expense of the more refined, luxurious look. I don't mean that in a negative way. It just really gave it a youthful feel.

[ajshanny]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Just back from DC auto show where I got to check out a valencia orange metallic 1M.

Some quick impressions:

1) It's small and aggressive. Almost pugnacious. I like it!

2) I'm ordering it in alpine white, but the orange is pretty nice -- just not for me. The lighting and metallic quality of it also showed a surprising amount of orange peel (no pun intended) in the flat surfaces around the rear license plate.

3) It seems to sit a bit high. Despite the 19" wheels/tires, there is too much space between the top of the tire and the underside of the fender lip. It should look much better lowered 1/2" to 1".

4) I got to sit in it very briefly and found it plenty roomy. (Mind you, my frame of reference is a Z3 M Coupe.) It will take me a bit of time to adjust to the thick steering wheel rim. I also rowed the gears and thought the throws were pretty good. Not really sure it needs a short shifter.

5) Trunk is a good size and it does have split rear seats.

6) Couldn't really examine it closely enough, but ducting air to the front rotors could be tricky.

All for now.

Neil

How did you get to sit in it when it had a steel railing around it? I was under the impression that the car was off limits.

I did think the car looked great though - even better than I expected. The orange was quite classy as far as orange paints go, but the additional width of the fenders and the GTS wheels are what really impressed me.

I still think white will be the way to go for me, but I'd really like to replace some of the interior panels and maybe the shifter boot with 135 pieces that don't have orange stitching. Unfortunately, my 135 is red and orange stiching wouldn't look right in a red car, so I won't be able to swap before selling the 135.

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by ajshanny

How did you get to sit in it when it had a steel railing around it? I was under the impression that the car was off limits.

I did think the car looked great though - even better than I expected. The orange was quite classy as far as orange paints go, but the additional width of the fenders and the GTS wheels are what really impressed me.

I still think white will be the way to go for me, but I'd really like to replace some of the interior panels and maybe the shifter boot with 135 pieces that don't have orange stitching. Unfortunately, my 135 is red and orange stiching wouldn't look right in a red car, so I won't be able to swap before selling the 135.

I was there during a pretty quiet period and spent a bit of time "cultivating" a relationship with one of the tenders.

I'm also going with an Alpine White.

Neil

[NavM]

I saw it today at the DC auto show. The car looks much better in person and I must say I was surprised how good the valencia orange metallic looked. There was a melbourne red M3 nearby and I must admit I liked the valencia orange more. It will definitely be a cop magnet with this color. If I were getting one, I'd probably go with alpine white or sapphire black, though.

The car has a wide stance, reminiscent of the E46 M3. The side profile and front bumper are very aggressive and look better in person. The only disappointing part of the car for me was the rear diffuser. I wouldn't say that it is the best looking M car out there, because it is not but I have no doubt it will be the most fun to drive. Overall, the car is very well made by BMW. Definitely a car that targets the younger enthusiasts. The other notable new BMW there was the 650i convertible. What a car that was. Gorgeous but for $100K, you have no leg room in the back. Here are a few pictures of the 1M I took with my iphone.

[///M1]

Thx for the review, Neil. I almost made it to DC but something came up in the AM and ran out of time for a decent length round trip.

BTW, did you notice if the shifter is illuminated? It didn't seem to be (nor disclosed in the brochures), but the Top Gear article reports it is (as it should be considering that is par for the course on ///M cars)

[///M1]

Originally Posted by NavM3

I saw it today at the DC auto show. The car looks much better in person and I must say I was surprised how good the valencia orange metallic looked. There was a melbourne red M3 nearby and I must admit I liked the valencia orange more. It will definitely be a cop magnet with this color. If I were getting one, I'd probably go with alpine white or sapphire black, though.

The car has a wide stance, reminiscent of the E46 M3. The side profile and front bumper are very aggressive and look better in person. The only disappointing part of the car for me was the rear diffuser. I wouldn't say that it is the best looking M car out there, because it is not but I have no doubt it will be the most fun to drive. Overall, the car is very well made by BMW. Definitely a car that targets the younger enthusiasts. The other notable new BMW there was the 650i convertible. What a car that was. Gorgeous but for $100K, you have no leg room in the back. Here are a few pictures of the 1M I took with my iphone.

Man, on your pics it almost looks red!!! This color is so sensitive to light and camera equipment!

[My135]

The VO looks great and almost red in these pictures. I like it. I wonder how much more agressive looking as compare to a 135i.

[ES BMW]

It's impressive when you see it in person. Between the wider fenders, bigger brakes, concaved rear wheels and that color... you can't help but let out an audible, "Wow!"
Standing around the car in Detroit, I was not the only one that said it.

[dmw16]

I saw it at the auto show when I was there yesterday and loved it! It has a great aggressive look to it.

I liked the Orange, but I would go with White if/when I were to order one.

As a side note, OP, I'm jealous that you got to sit in it.

[skyphab]

Originally Posted by My135

The VO looks great and almost red in these pictures. I like it.

It is red on the pictures and proofs that you can't photograph an 1M with your iPhone

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by dmw16

As a side note, OP, I'm jealous that you got to sit in it.

It truly challenged my persuasive skills. And it really helped that it was a slow time.

Neil

[Robert]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Just back from DC auto show where I got to check out a valencia orange metallic 1M.


3) It seems to sit a bit high. Despite the 19" wheels/tires, there is too much space between the top of the tire and the underside of the fender lip. It should look much better lowered 1/2" to 1".

All for now.

Neil

Yea it needs a drop, badly for cosmetic reasons. Are they doing dog and pony show? Any idea if this will make it to LA area?

[turbomzi]

I didn't get to sit in the car, but I did like the way it sits and the way it hugs the ground. The wide wheels make it look very aggressive. I thought I would like the rear of the car better, but from the front it certainly looks better despite the headlights.

I don't mean to disappoint anybody, but I personally thought about changing my order from AW to VO, but I saw it in person at the show in VO, I am now confirmed for AW. Black would look good too. Just my personal opinion.

Overall, it made me feel much better about deciding to order without having detailed pricing because as soon as I saw it, it put a smile on my face and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about

[YVES1M]

Originally Posted by Robert

Yea it needs a drop, badly for cosmetic reasons. Are they doing dog and pony show? Any idea if this will make it to LA area?

You think it<s the same sping as the M3

[MDORPHN]

Originally Posted by YVES1M

You think it<s the same sping as the M3

Likely slightly reduced rates since the 1M is lighter.

Neil

[///M1]

Originally Posted by MDORPHN

Likely slightly reduced rates since the 1M is lighter.

Neil

Neil, I had a quick question above which you may not have seen: did you notice if the shifter is illuminated? It didn't seem to be (nor disclosed in the brochures), but the Top Gear article reports it is (as it should be considering that is par for the course on ///M cars)