Swapping an e92 M3 Engine into a BMW 135i with a 1M Body Kit!

By Daud Gonzalez - February 6, 2020

Some BMW fanatics would argue that this is the way that the 1M Coupe should have come from the factory.

For those familiar with the E82 1-series, this small coupe has received a lot of discussion from BMW enthusiasts since its release in 2007. Some love it and claim it is the last analog BMW. Others think the car is boring and doesn’t have the driving dynamics of a true sports car like the M3. Many 135i owners end up doing conversions to their cars to get them closer in feeling to the legendary 1M coupe. This M-car wasn’t too dissimilar from its mass-production blood-brother. Although, the changes made to the chassis and driving dynamics completely changed the car. This is due to the integration of M3 components. However, can you create the perfect driver’s car by converting the 135i to this upgraded format?

The folks over at MasterClass Automotive took this conversion to the next level. What we see here is no longer just a 1M Coupe-inspired 135i, but rather a completely different beast altogether. This particular 135i uses components from three different BMWs. The owner of this car, Esteban Larrañaga, describes it as “the beautiful Frankenstein of an E92 M3, a 135i, and a 135i M-sport race car which had factory BMW 1M body panels “. How do all these different cars mesh together and does it work cohesively as a package? Thanks to Hoonigan AutoFocus, we get to find out just that.

Those familiar with the 1M Coupe know its exterior is easily distinguishable from the standard 1-series. The key features are the aggressive front bumper and rear bumper with quad exhaust tips. Along with widened front and rear flares, the exterior look is complete. Look even closer you’ll find the slick-top carbon roof. Larrañaga breaks down what exactly they did to acquire this OEM 1M look. According to him, “as far as the exterior is concerned, the exterior is a 1M, the only thing is that it has a sunroof instead of the slick top the 1Ms usually came with.” The OE 1M body panels come from the 135i M-sport race car and are welded to the factory mounts. In addition, there is the 1M trunk, mirrors, carpets, you name it. However, this San Marino Blue example is one of a kind, as the 1M Coupe was never offered in this color.

Although the amount of work to get this car looking like a stock 1M is impressive, to say the least, it is far from the end for this coupe. Most folks are fooled until they hear the growl of the V8 on startup. According to Larrañaga, “it just gives it away the second you turn it on”. This unique sound is thanks to the E92 M3 drivetrain swap, including the iconic S65 V8 and a 6-speed manual transmission. The M3 drivetrain is 100% functional in the new body. The differential, front and rear subframe, axles, you name it- all from the M3. Larrañaga makes this clear by stating “pretty much everything from an M3 is in this car”. That is truly impressive because nothing about the swap is plug and play, even though the car was produced in the same time period.

According to Larrañaga, this is the way 1M “should have come from the factory” and we have to agree. As special as the N54 engine is that came with the 1M, being an M-car means having a BMW Motorsport-crafted engine living within it. The S65 is just that, the N54 is not. This is why Larrañaga states that “this is the closest you can get to a Formula 1-revving V8 with a manual attached to it”. If you ask us, it sounds like we need the opportunity to drive this custom 135i, it sounds and looks like the real deal.