Our review of the BMW 1M coupe from last week’s BMW west coast press drive event at the Willow Springs International Raceway has been posted. We wondered if there would be any unique perspective for us to share with our readers. We hope so. We’ve shared our opinion on how the 1M compares to the M3 on the road from an M3 owner’s perspective, how the 1M performs on the track according to a BMW performance driving instructor with 25 years of racing experience, and … CONTINUED

The inspiration for the BMW 1M coupe is said to be drawn from the E30 M3. BMW likes to say that the 1M is the spiritual successor to the original M3. In fact, all of the engineers who worked on the 1M coupe were required to drive and become familiar with the E30 M3 during development. That’s how much BMW wanted the 1M coupe to emulate the E30 M3′s original spirit, while of course also accommodating for current safety required designs, customer wants, and reasonable build … CONTINUED

Here is the first set of comparison photos of the 1M coupe versus the E46 M3. Many feel that the 1M’s squat stance with aggressively flared fenders harks back to the similarly aggressive stance and shape of the E46 M3. We tend to agree. Judge for yourself in these photos.

MSN UK comes in with their review of the 1M coupe, praising it as all the other publications have and calling it a sure-fire bet to become a modern classic and BMW’s best cult car in years. Read on!

See what the auto journalists saw at the 1M press drives in this video of Matt Russell’s (M Brand Manager, US) presentation on the 1M coupe. See the philosophy, goals, and technical details behind the development of the M group’s hottest new coupe.

BMW UK has launched the first commercial for 1-series M coupe, which recently went on sale in England. The commercial features a valencia orange 1M coupe on some empty twisties in the countryside poised to swallow up some tarmac, followed by some serious driving. It’s rare to see tire smoke, much less drifting, in a BMW commercial, so the 1M is clearly being advertised by BMW as a model for serious driving enthusiasts.

Axis of Oversteer was in attendance at the Monticello race track in NJ for the first BMW 1M press test drives. Here is some fun drifting and hoonage in the 1M coupe.

Autoblog’s review of the 1M coupe is in and this is the message they have for everyone — “Enthusiasts, BMW has your car.”

The following sums up their experience in a few sentences: In similar manner, what makes the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe so special isn’t found in charts, numbers or statistics. Instead, its appeal is discovered once you settle into the supportive bucket seats behind the thick steering wheel. Its allure is captured in the masterful combination of a torque-laden engine mated to … CONTINUED

Jalopnik prints their 1M first drive review, echoing what many auto publications have said before them – that the 1M is most surely an M car. Driver Mike Spinelli was impressed with the car’s great limits, handling, and stance. Perhaps the best compliments paid were the constant comparisons and references to big brother M3.

First video of a top speed run in a BMW 1M coupe result in a reading of 264km/h (164mph)! The video shows just how strong the 1M pulls in all ranges, even above 100mph. The car has also been tuned by BMW to sound great from the cockpit, with a great mixture of engine, air induction, and exhaust noise. Check out the run inside.