G-Power’s $182,000 BMW “1M” (135i): Does 600HP Ruin It?

By Zack Klapman

Edit: It was brought to our attention this is a fake 1M. It’s a re-bodied 135i, being touted through G power and the press as a 1M (compare the side mirrors and sunroof). So the $182,000 price just got even more ridiculous. Although this car now smells as brown as it looks, the post below regarding small cars with too much power is still pertinent.

At what point is power detrimental to driving enjoyment?

This is the G-Power G1 V8 Hurricane RS, and it has as much horsepower as it does alphanumeric characters. As you may have discerned, it has a V8 in it, extracted from the chest cavity of an E92 M3. It’s been supercharged to 592HP/428tq. I know that’s really fun to read, but does it make the 1M better, or does it ruin it?

G-Power isn’t known for being subtle or frugal with horsepower. They’re the Brabus of BMW. They do to BMWs what (insert 1 of 42 names here) do to GTRs. Their restraint is the same as Guy Fieri’s in front of a bacon, brisket, and BBQ sauce buffet. I love many of their creations, like the 800HP M6 that does burnouts across small countries. There is nothing wrong with big, German power (in cars at least).

But does the 1M benefit from having a nuclear reactor shoved into it as much as a larger sedan or coupe do? 205MPH top speed sounds really cool on the internet (and what a sensation it must be in this little car), but how cautious do you have to be in the corners? Does 600HP stifle the very essence that made the 1M great under a heavy blanket of excessive power, like Matt’s over-powered Cobra?

The BMW 1M was the “funnest” car I drove in 2011 (Thad too). If I had $50k to spend on a car, that would be in my garage right now. It sprang through canyons, turning in almost with the same vigor and stability of an Evo. An M3 feels more stable in bigger corners (due to the wheelbase), but the 1M is way more exciting to drive. Sure, a Hayabusa is faster and more stable than a super motard bike, but which is more playful? I only dream of owning the latter. It’s (likely underrated) 335HP is an excellent match for its short wheelbase. Torque starts very low and it pulls. 140MPH arrives in fairly short order.

But will 600HP overwhelm this car? Even with G-Power’s addition of carbon ceramic brakes and GM1-RS Clubsport suspension, I wonder if the power will change the very nature of this little sprite to a car that is only suited for big tracks or straight line blasts; something that I believe goes against its mission on this planet.

I will admit that anytime I drive a turbo car, I say, “Just imagine how it would benefit from a tune and exhaust.” And if I bought a 1M, after the warranty ended, I would find out. I would get high-flow cats and a chip, likely arriving somewhere north of 400HP. But 70Hp and 200HP are very different. One is a push-up bra, the other is “Give me the Dolly Parton.”

I love the 1M. I think it was as close to the original E30 as we can get today (with people requiring airbags, quiet cabins and stereos). “Fun” is a simple word, but honestly the best way I can think of to describe it. It felt at home in small canyons, or a tight track, or even AutoXing.

I know we all get hard seeing larger and larger numbers next to engine specs; it’s the new trend. “Yeah, this year it has 700HP, but I can’t wait til next year.” Greedy. It’s why our viewers felt slighted when Matt drove a GTR with “only” 1100HP, instead one with 1,400HP. And most of those commenters will believe they could handle 600HP in the canyons, or on a track.

I know G-Power won’t turn every 1M on the planet into a particle accelerator on wheels, but I am curious: after the initial novelty wore off, would you be happier with 600HP than you were with 335? Talk about it here.

Source: sub5zero

Follow us on Twitter:
@thesmokingtire @zackklapman

The Smoking Tire
The Smoking Tire’s YouTube Channel

Source: