All About Japan Autos

The BMW 1- Series just got a little bit quicker, as the German automaker revealed the 1 Series M Coupe yesterday. Providing a new, more entry-level model to their M series of vehicles, the 1 Series M Coupe’s “in-line 6-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo and petrol direct injection develops a maximum output of 250 kW/340 bhp with an engine-speed-oriented characteristic curve typical of BMW M cars,” says BMW. “The BMW 1 Series M Coupe accelerates in 4.9 seconds from zero to 100 km/h and reaches the 200 km/h mark after 17.3 seconds..

But the performance upgrades don’t end with power under the hood. “To enhance grip and handling, the car’s track is widened by nearly 3 inches at the front fenders and nearly two inches at the rear,” says the New York Times. “Curb weight has also been reduced by 77 pounds, in part by deleting a moonroof option.” The 1 series M will only be available with a 6-speed manual transmission and features a steering wheel mounted M drive button, which improves power delivery.

So you end up getting a little extra oomph over the BMW 135i, but how is adding an M badge to the 1-series going to affect the bottom line? Pricing on the 1 Series M is going to be announced closer to its Spring 2011 release date. However, the New York Times speculates that, “A fully optioned 135i can approach $45,000, so a sticker pushing $50,000 is probable.”

If that price point ends up being accurate, the 1 Series M will sticker for roughly $14,000 more than a 135i coupe. “Pricing is set to lure a younger buyer (in their thirties) into an M car,” says Edmunds. “The BMW M3 Coupe starts at $59,275 these days… This caused the current M3 to skew more towards older buyers who can drop $60K on a toy.”

In the market for a new car? Check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals. Also, be sure to check us out on Twitter.