Official: the BMW 1 Series M Coupé is out

The months of expectation, teasers and small detail unveilings are over. The new BMW 1 Series M Coupé has been officially presented, ahead of the Detroit Motor Show where it will have its world premiere

BMW M GmbH is now combining the sports-style driving pleasure characteristic of its M models to the agility and lightness of the compact 1 Series Coupé, handing it the highly dynamic driving properties of a high-performance sports car. With the 2-door model BMW M is for the first time adopting its concept of racing-oriented performance characteristics in a car developed for everyday use.

The BMW 1 Series M Coupé is powered by a 3.0-litre, in-line 6-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo and petrol direct injection that features a maximum power output of 250 kW/340 bhp and maximum torque of 450 Nm, at 4500 rpm.

With an engine-speed-related performance curve characteristic from M models, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe boosts from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and reaches a limited top speed of 250 km/h.

In terms of fuel efficiency, the 1 Series M Coupé spends 9.6 liters per 100 kilometers in the EU test cycle, which represents CO2 emissions of 224 grams per kilometer.

The power is directed to the wheels of the 1 Series M Coupé via a newly developed 6-speed manual transmission, which is operated using a very short M gearshift lever.

As the first ever high-performance model in the compact segment, with 4,380 millimeters in length and 1,420 millimeters in height, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe becomes both the shortest and the flattest model in the BMW M GmbH range.

The 1 Series M Coupé has received some modifications in terms of design that reflect the performance capabilities of the compact car. It features a shaped front apron that forms a homogeneous surface, dominated in the lower section by three large-format air intakes. With the goal of optimizing aerodynamics BMW M GmbH is using for the first time in a serial production vehicle the so-called air curtains.

The BMW 1 Series M Coupé will have its world premiere in the beginning of 2011 at the North American International Auto Show, in Detroit. The performance compact car is expected to reach the markets in May 2011 in Germany.