There is a very good reason as to why BMW has never named a hot hatch the M1 no matter how how it may have been, and that reason was put together between 1978 and 1981.
Called the BMW M1, it was a mid-engine sports car that was initially assembled in Italy, and then in Germany. The model was designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giogiaro at Italdesign, who left his mark on numerous cool rides over the years, including the Aston Martin DB4 GT Bertone Jet, the BMW M1 Homage Concept, Cadillac’s Sixty Special, De Tomaso’s Mangusta, DMC’s DeLorean, Ferrari’s 250 GT, the 1966 Ford Mustang Concept, the 1979 Lancia Delta, and many, many more.
BMW’s M1 measured 171.7 inches (4,361 mm) long, 71.8 inches (1,824 mm) wide, and 44.9 inches (1,140 mm) tall. It had a 102.4 inches (2,600 mm) long wheelbase, and a curb weight of almost 2,900 pounds, or 1,300 kilograms. A 3.5-liter inline-six was mounted behind the passenger compartment, pumping out 273 hp (204 kW/277 ps) and 243 lb-ft (330 Nm) of torque, paired with a five-speed manual transmission developed by ZF that sent the power to the rear wheels.
This model could reach 60 mph (97 kph) in less than six seconds from a standstill, and had a top speed of around 165 mph (265 kph). Only 453 units of the BMW M1 saw the light of day in total, and the surviving ones are highly prized among collectors. On average, the value of this model spans between $450,000 to over $800,000, and the latter number is obviously reserved for collector-grade, low-mileage units that rarely hit the used car market.
Photo: Instagram | sugardesign_1
With this short history lesson about the BMW M1 behind us, it is now time to move on to the modern-day Electric M1 pictured in the gallery above. In fact, its maker, @sugardesign_1 on Instagram, calls it the BMW Neue Klasse iM1, suggesting that it is a battery-electric hot hatch that might actually serve as a preview for the current fourth-generation 1er, aka the F70. The latter entered production in mid-2024, and is made at the Leipzig facility in Germany.
As you already know, the latest BMW 1 Series hatch is no longer a tail-happy machine, because, just like the F40 that preceded it, is based on the UKL2 platform. The construction is also used by the 2 Series Gran Coupe, 2 Series Active Tourer, X1, X2, MINI Countryman, and other similarly-sized models with a front-biased layout. Depending on where it is sold, the latest 1er comes with several gasoline engines, including a mild-hybrid, and a pair of turbodiesel units.
It is the M135 that sits at the very top of the lineup, featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged straight-four engine under the hood that pumps out 312 brake horsepower (317 ps/233 kW) between 5,750 and 6,250 rpm, and 295 pound-feet (400 Nm) of torque from 2,000 to 4,500 rpm. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sends the power to the front-biased xDrive all-wheel drive system, and the 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 kph) acceleration takes 4.9 seconds in this version of the hot hatch.
Photo: Instagram | sugardesign_1
And if you haven’t figured it out yet, the BMW Electric M1 rendered above is pretty much the direct successor to the current BMW M135, albeit with a zero-emission powertrain. This imagined machine has gone down the Neue Klasse route, as it features a front fascia similar to the one of the larger, upcoming Electric M3, which was in turn previewed by the M Concept Neue Klasse more than a year ago.
This justifies the extra lights mounted on each side of the front bumper, the vertically-split large air intake, integrated apron, intricate lighting signature at the front, V-shaped nose, and vented front hood. The same goes for a good chunk of the profile, too, as well as the ultra-wide taillights, the shape of the rear bumper, and other elements that can be seen in these digital illustrations.
But could this CGI-infused model actually preview the future of the BMW 1 Series hatch? Your guess is as good as ours, though if this machine is anything like the 3er, then it might indeed launch in two different versions, with ICE and EV power, based on different constructions, and featuring a similar look inside and out. By the way, the interior would be dominated by the wide pillar-to-pillar display at the bottom of the windshield, quirky-looking steering wheel, and the same infotainment system as the iX3, i3 Sedan, and other new Bimmers.
Mind you, the current BMW 1 Series is only two years old, and we reckon its mid-cycle refresh might be a couple of years away from debuting. But will the company bring this model into the Neue Klasse family for the LCI (Life Cycle Impulse)? Speak your mind about it in the comments box below, and let us know if you dig the idea if an iM1 similar to the one rendered here.