At next month's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, BMW will finally release the official M version of their smallest model. Dubbed the 1 Series M Coupe, it is in many ways the spiritual successor to the original M3 of the 1980s. The compact machine boasts the now familiar twin-turbo straight six engine, which is wound up to 340 bhp for this application. Purists will be happy to hear that all that power is transferred to the rear wheels through a manual six-speed gearbox. Weighing in at just under 1500 kg (3300 lbs), the new M Coupe can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 5 seconds. Top speed is officially limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). There is nothing subtle to the exterior treatment; the car really looks like a 1 Series on steroids with wildly flared wheel arches to clear the massive wheels. Inside the car is fully equipped and the car is ready to communicate with the latest smart-phones. After its Detroit world debut, the 1 Series M Coupe will be available on the market in Germany from May 2011.
Renault Sport have further expanded their rally car range with the Megane RS N4. Built specifically for tarmac events, the racer has remained true to the Megane road car it is based on. The majority of changes made have focused on safety provisions like a roll cage. The turbocharged four cylinder engine is good for 265 horses, which is 15 more than in the road car. Torque is up considerably more though from 340 Nm (251 ft lbs) to a hefty 470 Nm (347 ft lbs). The suspension features three-way adjustable dampers. The Megane RS N4 kit is available from 57,000 Euro.
Enjoy the links:
2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe - Images, Specifications and Information
2011 Renault Mgane RS N4 - Images, Specifications and Information
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Raimo Miettinen
. Its nice that they added the 1 series to their lineup as is. Cars have gotten too big, so I can definitely appreciate a sports car like this. I wonder how it'll sell in north america, where bigger is better.
