P90069704

The latest in the line of press outlets to drive the 1M at the Euro launch is Inside Line. The Edmunds website comes away seemingly awestruck by the real-world sped and handling. But let ‘s let them tell it themselves. Here ‘s an excerpt:

>Let ‘s not extend the suspense any longer. The 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe is a fantastically compelling machine. It is fast — faster in real-world terms than the M3 on most roads. It has a truly brawny engine that sounds great at wide-open throttle, handles with all the precision expected of a car wearing the evocative M badge, and is super practical given its performance brief.

>And, to our eyes at least, the BMW 1M looks great — even in the garish metallic orange paint scheme BMW has chosen for launch cars.

But here ‘s the money quote and the one that many old-school BMW fans have been waiting for:

>With such a troubled birth, the big question is whether the new car can live up to the high standards of the original E30 M3, a car BMW suggests is the spiritual ancestor to the 1 Series M Coupe. If first impressions are anything to go by, the answer is an unequivocal yes.

You can read the entire review here. Look for our own review next week.