---
title: 'BMW 1M Review // Thug Life'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=5eCWFApN3go'
video_id: '5eCWFApN3go'
date: 2026-07-25
duration_sec: 1103
---

# BMW 1M Review // Thug Life

> Source: [BMW 1M Review // Thug Life](https://youtube.com/watch?v=5eCWFApN3go)

## Summary

The BMW 1M is a modern classic that has appreciated in value since its release. In this review, Throttle House explores why this turbocharged M car, born from engineers rather than marketers, delivers a raw and engaging driving experience.

### Key Points

- **Value Appreciation** [01:00] — The 1M is one of the few M cars that has gone up in value, prompting the hosts to investigate why.
- **Engineer-Built Philosophy** [02:56] — Like the M1, Lancia Stratos, and Dodge Viper, the 1M was created by a talented group of engineers, not marketers.
- **First Turbo M Engine** [03:29] — The 1M uses the N54 twin-turbo inline-6, which is less reliable but makes the car feel quick and responsive.
- **Reliability Quirk** [04:39] — The charge pipe exploded shortly after pickup, requiring a replacement part.
- **More Fun than M2** [06:28] — The 1M is 500 lbs lighter than the new M2, has a shorter wheelbase, and hydraulic steering, making it more engaging.
- **Confidence and Grip** [08:43] — The car communicates grip levels clearly, giving the driver confidence to push it to the limit.
- **The 1M Persona** [10:07] — Valencia Orange is the quintessential 1M color, and the car feels angry and dangerous—the true spirit of M.
- **Worth the Premium** [16:01] — The 1M is worth the premium over an OG M2 because it is the original small, spiky M car and more fun to drive.

### Conclusion

The BMW 1M lives up to the hype as a raw, driver-focused machine that is both thrilling and flawed, making it a modern classic worth owning.

## Transcript

>> You're watching Throttle House. I'm Thomas.
the first M car, not by a long shot. But when it graced to the scene in 2011, it >> [music] >> and is one of the few M cars that actually has gone up in value. So, we want to know why. Because if you think
>> James, [music] James, James, sorry to interrupt. Okay. here with the with the Quad Lock thing. What Quad Lock thing? Oh, right. I this video and I want to test their phone mounts, but you know, Throttle
House style. Oh, no. Why? What's that? Why? >> Oh, um, two reasons. One, revenge. Two, common Canadian pastime, actually.
Admittedly, I thought there was going to be snow this time of the year in Canada, I'm not even attached to the tow hook. No, you're not. You're attached to the all the different mounts. We should never be Is that a case?
>> Yeah, that's just in case. That's terrible. That's terrible. >> Um, are you ready? No. Okay, go.
Oh, it's quick. Woah, it's quick. Woah, it's quick. It doesn't prove anything.
okay. >> Oh my god. I think are intact. That worked. Excellent. Okay. All right, I'm coming. I'm coming. Oh, good. Yeah,
>> [clears throat] >> 30% off Black Friday. No code required.
This is a car born the way all the best cars are born. A talented group of decided [music] to make something happen. Things like the M1 and the Lancia Stratos and the Dodge Viper were all created that way. And it's a recipe
for success. Show me a car built by engineers and not marketers that's bad and I won't listen to you because it doesn't support my argument right now.
made some confusing decisions with this car. For one thing, this is the first car. For one thing, this is the first turbocharged straight-six M car. That means it doesn't have the naturally aspirated build in power. [music]
That means it muffles the sound with those turbochargers. isn't a proper M engine. This has the engine code N54. That's the same as in
engine code N54. That's the same as in the 35s at the time. So, the 335 and the Z4 35 all share this engine. That's like if you brought out a new M2 now and gave if you brought out a new M2 now and gave it the M240i engine. But guess what?
and lightweight means that this feels quick. This is too quick for those rear wheels, which makes it a perfect M car. No, really, the issue with the N54 is it's known [music] to not be that
reliable. For instance, in the few hundred meters after I picked this car up, it threw a check engine light and that's because the charge pipe exploded. into the engine. So, right now there is a very handsome man trying to plastic
weld those pieces together because on such short notice, we couldn't find a replacement part. However, if you're watching this video, However, if you're watching this video, that means it worked.
worked, but it didn't. So, you join me weeks later after we found the correct weeks later after we found the correct part. And now this spicy pumpkin is back part. And now this spicy pumpkin is back in action.
that traction control light pop up cuz you'll be seeing it more than your you'll be seeing it more than your indicator. It feels like a Mini Cooper JCW that's rear-wheel drive and just did 17 lines of coke Coca-Cola.
And for that reason, it has its own personality that is incredibly lovable. of its neck. >> [screaming]
of means with luscious hair and I had a YouTube channel, I'd probably thinking right now having not chosen one of these [music] instead.
Ah, this is This is more fun than an M2. This is way more fun than an M2. Oh, that's so annoying. >> [laughter] >> Why did I have an M2 for so long? It
just feels smaller, spicier, lighter. the time. This is 500 lb lighter than the new M2.
It has a shorter wheelbase than an E36 M3 and it has hydraulic steering. So, unlike the M2 that I own, I feel what's going on in the front end. The M2 was always a very spiteful kind of car because of that short wheelbase,
to be really fast with your hands and that's what made it fun to drive. This that's what made it fun to drive. This is that, but more. More of that sense of have the traction control off, which I do, you got to take it seriously.
thing. What Oh, what a car. car that I ever became
really attached to. great fun to drive and it was really good to live with every day, but it's not a car that I miss. And this feels like the type of car that
It's the type of car that you can easily form an attachment to. This feels skunk worksy, right? This is just a normal one series that the M division stuffed the rear of the E92 M3 under. So, they had to flare the arches to fit the tires.
brakes. [music] It's a car that feels modified. The new M2 is so intentional and cohesive.
cohesive. This one feels as though it's kind of trying to tear itself apart in a good way.
>> it's letting you know where the grip levels are. It's giving you that confidence to really push it to find its limits.
Oh god, this is what M cars are all about. reputation that it does. There's a reason that it costs more than an M2 reason that it costs more than an M2 now. It's cuz it's more fun to drive.
Feels more special. It feels like a car that you are going to remember.
>> Oh, I want >> Do you want M so hard right now? This is I'd forgotten. >> It's got the proportions perfect. Well, it's got the proportions of an M car. It's a car that they were
tires in because it's going to have a lot of grip. We got a big old differential." So, they just flared it out. It looks different to the normal one series and therefore special. However Really excited, James. This
thing's so It's to drive. It's so fun. Would you get out of your M2? Yep. If you could go back in time, would you have found the money and got an M2? That big no big one maybe not. >> would you have got it in? This one. The
>> Okay. Cuz to me this is the 1M color. It is. Yeah, I agree. colors. Look, this is the M bit here cuz it's got the thing, right? Obviously the fender flares, that's what gives away an M car, right? The bigger wheels. It's so
punchy. It just punches. Yeah. That's exactly what it is. This is Do you ever really bad attitude? He was a little bit shorter, had spiky hair, and if you say off and punch you. His name was Travis. That's what this car is to me. Shirtless
Travis. Yes. That makes sense. No, I think that this for me it it personifies think that this for me it it personifies what I always grew up thinking M was. Right. >> Right. It's a It's a a road car that,
want something kind of like fun and sporty to drive. And then the M division took it and messed with it. They made it a little bit angry and dangerous and >> Yeah, it feels engineer oriented. >> Yes, exactly.
>> Yes. This I had the competitor of this as my wallpaper back in the day. Yeah. I had the TTRS, that middle gen, that gen two. Yeah. But now I think about it, two. Yeah. But now I think about it, it's this, the TTRS, and the 981 Cayman
>> And they apart from the TTRS, the Cayman and this have held their value very strongly. >> Yep. Like this is near a six-figure car in Canada. Yep. As is the Cayman. Yep. I would still lean towards Cayman for the
engine. But this is But this is a This is a car And what's a Cayman you can use every day? No, it's got back seats. It's got a trunk. It's not like mid-engine. It's not compromised, right? It's not a
sports car. It's a sporty car. All right, well, that's what I mean. So value proposition cuz there is no such thing as a cheap 981 Cayman. Whereas there is a 128i. Yes. It's the same chassis for 10 grand.
differential and you get a naturally aspirated six which sounds better >> get a 135i and you still get a turbo Actually, you can I think This might be later version of it, and it will have the N55, not the N54. So your M2 had
Yeah, so it would be like a version of my M2 engine. And that engine is more don't get you don't get this and you don't get these wide arches and you don't get I know, but you can get one of those for like 15 grand.
>> a modern classic now. >> It is a modern classic. It will hold its value. I don't think these are going down in value. This is This is a car that you buy and keep forever. My M2 was not and I am living evidence of that.
rid of. Okay, interesting. Yeah. All right, time. >> show you my favorite bit? >> show you my favorite bit? Yeah.
Alcantara? Just this I have lusted after this gauge cluster hood for years. This the the stitching, the Alcantara, the fact that it's like Alcantara on leather is so cool. It says something special's
with this. F-Type did it with the R the SV Sorry, the SVR got the Alcantara and Alcantara on the doors, Alcantara on the handles, Alcantara shift boot, Alcantara
parking brake boot. It has that kind of, you know, they redesign it. They just trimmed it in some sporty materials, right? >> criticized when it came it came out $47,000 US dollars and everyone was
like, "For a 1 Series?" I know, and it wasn't you know, they M because it doesn't have an oil pressure gauge, but to that I say, "I don't care." Those cars tend to age badly anyway. Like 50 grand for a Golf R
They're like, "A Golf?" Civic Type R. For a Civic? >> Stop trying to bump up your own car here. That's what's happening. >> I threw in the Civic as like a I see. as a distraction. Okay, talk to me. Versus
an M2. Yeah. What are we losing here? What's This feels very clean to me. >> This one doesn't have a backup camera and I don't I'm not educated enough to know if you could get one in an in a 1M. Okay. But I do believe that you could
add Apple CarPlay to this infotainment which this does not have. which this does not have. But otherwise, there isn't The seats are >> Seats are good. The driving position's a bit too high. The driving position is
well. But even the back seats, like the new M2 we can't fit comfortably. Even in was like, "Blimey, this is actually fine." Blimey. Like they're comfortable. I can fit I can I can drive as the Canadians like to
perfectly content. >> I've only learned recently that that when you say it's cottage. >> but it's very very very very different. Um anyway, physical buttons for the climate control. The OG M2 wasn't guilty
of this but the M2 competition and the new M2 definitely are. Too much over complication. Right? This has a little M here and I think the only thing that that does is it sharpens the throttle response. Other than that, the M
division has set the car up for you. Right. Right? I don't need so many and >> the M2 CS did get adjustable dampers helped the ride. That just tells me they got it wrong in the first place.
wheelbase anyway so that it was never going to be that smooth. Yeah, but it is Well, we're on very smooth roads here but driving this when I picked up in the you're in an M car. This is funny. What's this? That's your That's your cup
holder. Does it move? I don't know if it does but I mean the point is is that the car. There's one down here too but All right. Well, on the MX-5 you can it over here. Another brilliant car just like the Golf R.
Both for sale No, they're not. This makes me upset that North America This makes me upset that North America never got the 135 and M140 hatchbacks. >> Yeah. Because there really isn't a rear-wheel drive hatch anymore.
had one of those. You know, I mean in in a short this is I think personally worth the premium over buying an OG M2. Right? I think that it's worth that
extra dollar because it's the original small spiky M. Yes. And it is more fun small spiky M. Yes. And it is more fun to drive than an OG M2. Yep. Right? And this is borderline peak BMW in terms of
you know, making engaging driver's cars. So. Here's a question then. Yeah. For some reason the 1M had never entered Yeah, I've always wanted to drive one. >> E46 reviews with TH. Somehow not Well,
They immediately went up in value. >> No, I know. But does it You've met a >> No, I know. But does it You've met a hero technically today. Yeah. does the thing. It does the thing when you meet your
but All I know is don't meet them. Yeah, but I met this one and we're good. but I met this one and we're good. Check.
everyone says it is. And it's also as reliable as everyone says it is. what's a little pleasure without a little pain, you know? And speaking of little pain, you know? And speaking of pain,
and well-being aside, there is a Black Friday sale happening at Quad Lock, a company whose products were born from a world of motorbikes and being attached to things that go very very fast. So their [music] mounts are strong and
secure. Ask me how I know. In addition to their classic ones as well, there's the new cup holder mount which locks into any size cup holder with a simple twist. And they also sell a little dongle that can turn your non-wireless
CarPlay car [music] wireless pretty much instantly. Their one-year sale is [music] It's 30% off everything and you don't need a discount code because it's automatically applied at the checkout.
So, happy shopping. Thanks for watching. Thanks for watching. And note to self, get better friends.