BEST BUYS BMW M CARS

THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.

- SAM JENKINS

BMW 1-SERIES M COUPÉ

The compact gem that ushered in M's turbocharged era

BORN FROM AN OUT-OF-HOURS SKUNKWORKS PROJECT, the 1-series M Coupé was the first true M car with turbocharging and an engine closely related to a 'regular' BMW unit. Understandably, therefore, there were sceptics when the model was announced, but the driving experience quickly allayed any fears that the 1M might be watering down the M proposition.

Using an M135i as its base, the 1M added the rear axle and mechanical limited-slip differential from the E92 M3, providing a solid base for more sophisticated kinematics. This new hardware also increased track widths considerably at both the front (by 71mm) and the rear (44mm), offering improved stability and outright grip, while also requiring new bodywork that gave the 1M its trademark wide wheelarches and stout stance. Beneath the arches were the E92's concave Competition wheels and its brakes too, which sounds like a good thing until you remember that the M3 of that era still used single-piston front calipers. To match the looks, the N54 3-litre straight-six received an M-specific ECU tune, lifting its outputs to 335bhp and 369lb ft, making the 1M good for 0-62mph in 4.9sec and a top speed limited to 155mph (though we saw 170mph on the autobahn without a problem...).

On the road, the 1M is as engaging to drive as it is to look at, with strong torque, a light but slick six-speed manual transmission and lithe dynamics. Its short wheelbase can make it snappy on the limit, but select Sport mode for finer response and the 50:50 weight distribution becomes easier to exploit.