BMW has unveiled the production-ready 1 Series M Coupé - a car it at one time said it would never make - to the world at the Detroit Auto Show.
The newcomer is one of the most exciting cars ever to emerge from Bavaria, with many seeing it as the true successor to the original BMW M3.
It's the smallest car from BMW's M Division - its specialist high performance team - but is powered by a mighty six-cylinder petrol engine with two turbochargers. Peak power is 335bhp and the car will hit 62mph from rest in just 4.9 seconds.
That sprint is just 0.1 seconds slower than the current BMW M3 Coupé, yet the 1 Series costs around £14,000 less. That said, at £39,900 it's by no means a cheap performance car.
The rear-wheel drive coupé differs from standard 1 Series models by way of flared wheel arches, a deep front bumper and the trademark double stalked M Division wing mirrors. The cabin, however, has been criticised in some quarters for not being distinct enough from those of lesser variants.
BMW also debuted the production version of the 6 Series Convertible in Detroit, which in a break from convention will hit showrooms six months before its coupé equivalent - usually it goes the other way around.
The 6 Series Convertible will see UK dealerships in March - two months before the first of the 450 1 Series M Coupés destined for these shores hit the road.
Images by United Pictures
