To be honest, this is a very personal question I ‘ve been wrestling with for over a year. From the moment my purchase of a low mileage Alpine White E46 M3 with the competition package fell through (the owner had second thoughts of selling it) I ‘ve been consistently telling myself to patiently wait for the 1M. Knowing the people behind the car and knowing Dr. Segler ‘s history at MINI (and notably his involvement in the GP) I had a hunch it would be something special for both what it is and what it ‘s not. The notion of being unique because of the simplicity of it ‘s offering and dedication of purpose appeals to me more than a mass market type of car such as the M3 (in either of the latest generations). Mass market not in the strictest since but certainly more so than the manual only 1M.

But then there ‘s the S54 under the hood of the E46 M3 and my mind goes fuzzy again. So I ‘m bringing this question to all of you. We want opinions. Whether they be clicks or an elaborate thesis in the comment section.

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