BMW surprised journalists attending the M3 GTS launch event that took place at the Ascari circuit in Spain on Tuesday, by rolling out a development prototype of the upcoming 1M Coupe (or 1 Series M Coupe) and offering them a ride around the track. In this video, Frank Isenberg, Head of BMW Driver Training, took EVO magazine’s Chris Harris for a fast lap through the corners and straights of the racetrack.
The Bavarian automaker has not confirmed any details about what’s lurking under the bonnet 1M Coupe, but most journalists seem to agree that the car is powered by an upgraded version of the N54 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six (and not the twin-scroll turbo N55 engine found on the latest 135i) producing somewhere around 340-horsepower.
It also gets a more aggressive body work with blistered wheel arches housing beefy wheels and new bumper designs along with an M-prepped chassis featuring revised suspension, steering wheel and braking systems. The 1M Coupe will go on sale in the first half of 2011.
Source: EVO