The European reviews of the 1M are trickling in this week and next up is the UK ‘s Autocar. And outside of the upcoming EVO review, this is the one we ‘ve been looking forward to more than any (other than our own coming in two weeks). So let ‘s get to it. Perhaps unsurprisingly (for those following previous reviews) Autocar loves the 1M. Here ‘s an excerpt:

>It’s one of the best-looking M-cars in some time. Much effort has gone into modifying the 1-series coupé’s steel body to accommodate its upgraded chassis and give the M Coupé a much more muscular appearance than the 135i. In the metal, it looks bulldog tough.

They then move on to talk about the engine and more specifically the torque that defines the engine ‘s character. But perhaps more tellingly they quickly turn to the all important question of, how does it handle?

>To really succeed, however, the M Coupé also needs to deliver on the handling front. Initial impressions are overwhelmingly positive. Even on tricky sections of blacktop, the M Coupé is deceptively fast, possessing the sort of grip to carry big speeds through corners with true authority. And it achieves this while providing the sort of feedback you won’t find in any rival, RS3 included.

>The steering is old-school heavy in its weighting and extremely direct. In combination with the altered front suspension geometry – which includes increased camber, altered offset and a greater number of aluminium components – it turns in far more eagerly than the 135i Coupé, and as lateral forces build it continues to track faithfully, allowing you to correct your line with small adjustments.

So the conclusion. You ‘ll need to read the entire article for their thoughts. But to paraphrase, Autocar gives the 1M high marks for having it ‘s own character and not simply being a junior M3. The go on to say it ‘ll be keenly sought after.

You can read the entire review here.