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BMW

BMW 1M CSL rumour ignites

BMW 1M Coupe

At the recent UK launch of the BMW 1M Coupé the seed for a new and possibly very exciting rumour was sewn. We’re told James Morrison, BMW UK product manager, is the man responsible after he said, “There is scope for a CSL version.”

Adding context to that comment is the fact 300 of the 450 1M Coupe models alloctaed to the UK market were sold prior to its official release. Demand that BMW wasn’t expecting, and on a worldwide scale too, could have them thinking there is some more 1M cash to milk.

Morrison explains, “This car [1M Coupé] has certainly generated a buzz. When we planned for this car we were cautious, but now there’s some hype surrounding the 1M so there’s clearly going to be some people looking at what we can do next.

“M is the pinnacle of engineering so if there’s a CSL proposition or something really different that we could consider then we would. If there’s something special and unique we can do with it then absolutely we would.”

We’re doubtful a 1M CSL could happen so late in the 1 Series model cycle, but we remain hopeful. Then there’s the cost to consider; would you pay M3 money for a slightly lighter and quicker 1M?

[Source: Car Dealer Magazine]

UPDATE: A reminder that a 1M CSL was hinted at last December. How does 332kW (445hp) sound?!

Categories
BMW

Could BMW make a 332kW 1M “CSL”?

BMW 1M CSL rendering

Apparently, by this time next week BMW will have lifted the wraps from its highly anticipated 1 Series M Coupé. But that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from working overtime and we think most will like the latest 1M news to emerge.

Remember a couple of weeks back when we showed you that screen grab of engine specs, believed to be from an internal BMW source. Well, on that list was an N54B3OTO engine spec listed with 332kW (445hp). That’s a fairly healthy increase over the expected 250kW we will see in the 1M Coupé, right.

Turns out there is a chance that BMW, through a new Performance Program, could be getting ready to make a CSL-style 1M. The theory being this will be a nice little earner for the Munich massive while they’re busy developing the next model M3.

Is it really going to happen; well, we don’t know for certain. But it would be the perfect way to see out the 1 Series Coupé model cycle in 2012, that’s for sure!

[Source: Jon Sibal via BimmerFile]