2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe the "most affordable" M product ever offered

2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

At $47,010 (including destination), the 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe isn’t exactly cheap. Still, Matthew Russell, BMW product and technology PR rep, says it’s “the most affordable M BMW has ever sold, adjusting for inflation, including the original E30 M3.” That car cost around $34,000 when it was introduced in 1988. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Russell is more than right: $34,000 in 1988 had the same buying power as $62,885 in 2010.

With rumors of BMW getting into front-wheel-drive cars, we asked Dr. Kay Segler, president of BMW M GmbH, if M could do a FWD car. Segler said, “I haven’t thought about that,” and went on to remark that he couldn’t see doing a sub-1-Series M car. Russell elaborated with, “There are rumors about what is coming, but those aren’t from us.” As to other rumors about whether the coupes will be limited or capped in number, we were told categorically, “No.” But that was amended with, “But they will be hard to get.”

Live photos copyright ©2011 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

	1 Series M Coupé	BMW M3
Engine	3.0-liter twin turbo inline six	4.0-liter V8
Transmission	6-speed manual	6-speed manual
Horsepower	335 hp @5,900 hp	414 hp @8,300 rpm
Torque	369 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm	295 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpm
Redline	7,000 rpm	8,400 rpm
Front suspension	Macpherson struts	Macpherson struts
Rear suspension	Five-arm multilink	Five-arm multilink
Weight	3,462 pounds	3,704 pounds
Weight distribution	51.7/48.3	51.8/48.2
Length	172.4 in	181.8 in
Height	56.1 in	55.8 in
Track F/R	60.7/60.7	60.6/60.6
Wheelbase	104.7 in	108.7 in
0-to-60	4.9 seconds	4.7 seconds
Top speed	155 mph	155 mph
Quarter-mile		12.5 seconds
Price	$47,010	$59,775

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