With only 600 1-Series M Coupes (pictured above) making it to the States out of a total of 6,000 examples worldwide, the hot two-door model is a rare beast.
For those who couldn’t get their hands on the most compact and affordable M model, Autoweek magazine is reporting that BMW is preparing a kind of successor in the form of an M Performance coupe based on the recently launched in Europe, M135i hatchback.
M Performance is BMW’s new sub-brand that sits between the regular models and the thoroughbred M sports cars – something like Audi’s S and RS range.
Citing inside sources, the publication claims that BMW will present a coupe version of the second-generation 1-Series renamed as the 2-Series at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show with an M Performance variant to follow a few months later at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.
Keep in mind, however, that BMW has not officially confirmed the change of names for the coupe and convertible models of the 1-Series and 3-Series lineups to 2-Series and 4-Series respectively.
Regardless of what BMW will call the coupe model, the magazine says the M235i will use the same N55 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six delivering 316hp (320PS) at 5,800rpm and 450Nm (332 lb-ft) from 1,300 to 4,500rpm as the M135i hatchback coupled to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or an 8-speed automatic.
It is possible that like the M135i, the M235i will also be offered with all-wheel drive as an option.
What Autoweek forgets to mention in its article though is that an M Performance version of the current 1-Series Coupe has already come to the States under the guise of the 135is Coupe and Convertible, both of which are powered by the M135i’s N55 3.0-liter turbo engine, rated at 320hp.
BMW M135i HATCHBACK
