The car in question is the 1 Series M Coupe, and I think it's the best BMW I've ever driven.

I do. Seriously.

Let that sink in for a minute before you get angry and start leaving comments at the bottom of the page saying I have no idea what I'm talking about. I know what you're going to say because I had the same doubts when I picked up the keys. What about the E30 M3? How could this be an "M" car when it has a turbo?

I know, a turbo! We've all seen the video mocking BMW's switch to turbo power. I wanted to hate this new turbo setup as well. But I can't. It's just too good of a car, and an absolute blast to drive. I have some minor issues with it, but it's the same with most modern BMWs, and they are pretty insignificant compared to how much fun this car is. This is simply the best BMW I've ever driven.

>I have absolutely no idea which minivan you should buy, but I know BMWs, and this is the best one I've ever driven.

I feel uniquely qualified to make that statement. I've been racing BMWs for over 10 years in everything from traditional wheel-to-wheel races to the national Mexican class at the World Rally Championships. I've raced in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (12.42 miles straight up) and I've even fitted a BMW with 33-inch tires and 15 inches of wheel travel to race in the Baja 1000. The only car I've owned that wasn't a BMW was a Lotus Exige, and my daily driver is currently an E30 M3. I have absolutely no idea which minivan you should buy, but I know BMWs, and this is the best one I've ever driven.

I do wish it had a different name. "1 Series M Coupe" is a mouthful, but that's life. Normally not a big deal, but this car draws a ton of attention and you will need to explain yourself pretty much every time you park it.

Before I could even get into the car, two employees of the car park came running over to ask what the car was and why I was driving it. That happened all day long, on every day I drove the car. Pretty cool for a 1 Series on steroids. But it makes sense; the car looks right and sounds even better. Several times on the highway, I would look over to see someone taking a picture. Sure, the Valencia Orange paint scheme helped, but the car looks really cool, too. It sits quite a bit lower than the regular 1 series and rides on a set of huge competition package wheels. It looks aggressive, like a running back. Strong, powerful, and built for speed.

And it's not just a body kit on a 135i. The M Coupe's 3.0-liter engine produces a healthy 335hp and 332 pound-feet of torque, and propels the car to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds through a manual 6-speed transmission. Automatic is forbidden, not even an option.

The rapid acceleration is partially due to the giant 265-sized rear tires, which are enormous for such a little car. Top speed is limited to 155 mph, but that should be more than enough, even for places like Road America. The little car gets 19 mpg around town and 26 on the highway. I wasn't able to drive it enough to fully test those fuel efficiency numbers, but I drove it pretty hard while I had it, and the gas tank lasted a long time for a car this quick. It sort of makes the turbo seem like a decent idea after all.

The only downside is the car's weight; the M Coupe is a heavy 3,362 pounds. You don't really feel the weight when accelerating or driving normally, but start changing directions quickly and you'll realize you're carrying the extra pounds. Some view this a positive, as extra weight provides extra impact protection. Maybe it's better to be safe, but I do think the latest model is a bit fat.

So, is it fast? I didn't think so at first.

I pulled out of the lot in first gear and floored it. My first thought was, "Yeah it's quick, but what's all the fuss about?" Then I grabbed second gear in a nearly full throttle upshift and the car exploded forward.

I started giggling. The car surges forward unlike any BMW I've ever driven. The torque comes on and stays on through the whole gear. There's not even a suggestion that you're running out of power. It just pulls and pulls.

Grabbing third, I started to get concerned, as the car seemed to pull even harder. I then slowed down and repeated the second and third gear pull, over and over again. It was that much fun. I haven't accelerated a car over and over again like that since high school when I was handed the key to a modified Grand National GNX, another turbocharged monster. The difference with the BMW is that it turns and brakes extremely well. I'm sure there's some statistic on the car's lateral grip somewhere, but the car is so hooked up, it's almost irrelevant.

I was having so much fun that I'd been ignoring this constantly flashing light on the dash. The thing was flashing so much, I thought I'd left a turn signal on. I finally looked down and realized it was the traction control light. The car has so much power that even with the full-size tires, it needs traction control to keep it civilized.

Hmmm. Maybe I should turn that off. The first press of the button engages "MDM." I never looked up what it stands for, but I decided it means "Mediocre Driver Management." It allows you to rip and chirp the tires between upshifts and whistle the tires while accelerating, but it keeps you in check, preventing you from doing very stupid things. But I really wanted to know what stupid feels like. So I held the button down for a few seconds, causing all the nannyware to turn completely off.

At this point, "Beware of Massive Tire Burnouts" should be displayed on the dash. The car became raw, almost angry. Dr. Jekyll was long gone, replaced by this angry beast. But I also really liked Dr. Jekyll. When you first turn the key, the car starts in the standard, civilized mode. I would have no problem handing the keys to my mom and asking her to drive it around town – even on wet, slippery streets.

But my favorite is Mr Hyde. That beast is my friend.

There is also an "M" button on the steering wheel that I entirely forgot about until a friend asked me if I liked it. Oh yeah. "Sport" mode. I pressed it and it opened up the exhaust and made the throttles snap open much faster. Remember: there is no cable connecting the gas pedal to the engine – it's all managed by electronics. So when you turn the car on, it drives like a normal car, smooth and easy. But Sport Mode is fun. The throttle cracks open super-fast and the surge of power comes on much quicker. I loved it. It didn't really change the car's acceleration times, but man did it make it more fun to drive. Sport mode engaged!

Now to address the purists, the guys like me who have worshipped BMW Motorsport and the homologation specials they started building decades ago. The same guys that have been crying foul since BMW first announced that all the new M cars will be turbocharged. I was concerned, too. But not anymore. I am excited for the new power that can only be achieved with forced induction.

And don't forget: BMW was into turbos long before a lot of us were into BMWs. The BMW 2002 Turbo was introduced in 1973. And, BMW won the Formula One World Championship with a turbo engine back in 1983.

Is the 1 Series M Coupe the best BMW ever? I think so. But picking one up new may be out of the question, since BMW made less than 1,000 of these cars and most of them have already been sold.

WIRED Looks awesome, and crazy fun to drive. I made excuses to run errands just so I could drive it. People ask "What is that?" and take pictures while you're driving down the highway. Really impressive performance for a car costing under $50,000.

TIRED At at 3,363 lbs, it's fatter than I'd like it to be. Interior storage is miserable, and not because there isn't enough, but because nothing stays in place – the car accelerates and turns so well that things just fly around the cabin. Brakes are amazing (14.2 inches in front, 13.8 in the rear) but hit them hard and you'll find everything you own in the foot wells.

Photos by Jordan Losada/Wired

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