I’d take a look at buying one

Well, the original M1 made 274 HP and weighed around 2900 lbs. The new M1 will have 343 HP and weighs around 3100 lbs. Given the advances in materials, engineering, and manufacturing over the last 25 years, the new M1 will probably out-perform the old one at a fraction of the cost.

a 1 series? seems like they are bringing the company down market, wont be to anything special to see people workin Mcdonalds driving these.

They’re either going to call it m1 or 130csi which is, if any of you older guys remember, what the high-performance 8-series, or “m8″ was called, 850csi. Who knows, either way I want “1″…sorry for the queer pun.

“any clearer” i guess people working at mcdonalds drive 40k cars where u live. i should put in an application.

Down market?? They had to create a new series to make up for the price gap of their existing models moving UP in price!

A less expensive, lighter, less luxurious M3 focused on performance? Sign me up, NOW.

the back looks more like a 3 series.

—————–>this car is serious FIRE!! pushin my SRT-4 now, i can seriously see myself actually buying one of these used later down tha road…

I think it would be awesome if BMW finally brought this over to the States. Though I am wondering why this car which is sharing the same engine as the outgoing M3 is 4 tens of a second slower in 0-60 even though its lighter?

The 1 series is what the 3 series used to be. They really need to take the lightweight 4 cylinder out of the European E90 320SI and make a 120SI with all the new fuel saving technologies like start-stop, electromechanical power steering, and alternator managment/regenerative brakeing. Then you would have a sporty lightweight car suitable for current economic realities.

Does the listed 0-60 time seem a bit off?

BMW always over estimates the 0-60 times. They’re website says 335i’s can do it in 5.3 yet some do it in 4.8 They claim the M5 and M6 do it 4.5 or 4.6seconds. But roadandtrack clocked them both at 4.2 seconds!!! I personally believe an M1 with the M3 engine could do in 4.5seconds.

I’ll buy one too.

It seems like everybody is more excited about the M1 with the E46 M3 motor than the current 335i motor. I guess I’d like them to use the high revving NA E46 motor to stay true to their roots and not canabalize 335i sales.

Maybe we’ll see a M1 CSL by 2011 ???

so many high schoolers are gonna have this…

So many adults that just want a simple small manuverable lightweight economical RWD car are gonna have this…

BMW: MAKE IT!

Jon.

Wow, that would be pretty insane, all I can say is build it!

gsh: So many private school snobs perhaps. I’d say more wealthy parented college students would have this as opposed to wealthy parented high schoolers.

drivingisfun… The 850csi was a monster back in the day, and I think it would be wise to stick to M1 for this thing. The 850 was about $103,000 in say 1995… and this thing will retial for high 30k/low 40k. As for the 5.2s for 0-60, that seems well high. New I would think it could do 0-60 in high 4’s, and after being broken in, it would get down to mid 4’s.

Weird.. after seeing the 1 coupe spy pics I was thinking about the eventual M version.. and speculating if they would apply the M1 name to it, considering its history. Now this article appears! I think enough time has passed that M1 would be appropriate.. and what better way to evoke the original M3 than to add a super high rear wing!

If the put the turbo 3.0 engine in it, and an LSD, light components and such, i’d take it over a new M3… one reason. It’s tossable. the new m3 is going to be a monster, but it’s lost it’s, for lack of a better word, zip.

To the people above talking about using the former BMW M3 motor. The 3.2L, not going to happen. They are going to most likely phase that out as the Z4M’s get taken out of production.

0-60 times don’t mean ****. The tires… road they tested it on, driver, throttle response. It actually has really little to do with how it feels under acceleration

very cool, where do I sign?

i want one.

And it will only cost you $50,000….

BMW claims that engine is expensive to produce so I wouldn’t expect a sticker price to match the cars small size.

this car is going to ruin BMW’s luxury reputation with the rich folks… it’s a small car for poor people

What ever you do, don’t get excited about the picture up top. The car wont look anything like this. BMW came out and said this is something new they are working on called the CS. Said to rival the merc CLS. DON’T GET CONFUSED!!!

Small,with an old but powerful engine, “because we had to do it” look , not true sport look to…not sure if it’ll work, but still a concept.

I think it’ll be a great car. I wonder what the pricing will be like. Anybody got a clue?