BMW 1M Coupe vs M2 (Manual) Drag Race Defies the Generation Gap

We were planning to deliver a drag race that can help an aficionado take an objective decision. You see, in theory, the 4.7 kg/hp of the 1M mean that, a manual tranny M2, which packs 4.4 kg/hp, should easily top its predecessor. As for the torque side of the comparison, both 3.0-liter straight-six motors seen here pack 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) when the overboost mode is on in the 1M.

Nevertheless, it seems that the real-world sprinting difference between the two is no generation gap piece of cake.

The 370 hp son and the 340 hp father duke it out on an airfield, going for a rolling start, so the drivers don't have to worry about the ideal way of working the clutch during the take-off phase.

Even so, the sprinting action isn't without its stick shift mishaps, but we won't go deeper into this matter, as we don't want to ruin the fun of this Bavarian adventure.

The Bimmers fight on three separate occasions, so you can fully trust the conclusion delivered by the video at the bottom of the page.

The 1M was used as a camera car and we assume that the M2 also carried a passenger, so the scale footprint part of the battle was probably balanced.

Regardless of the result, we wouldn't hold anything against gear heads who would prefer one of these M cars over the other. And we can even think of an old-school choice example. We're talking about Chris Harris, with the British journo owning an 1M Coupe, one that has been taken down the aftermarket path.