I am of the opinion that the BMW 1-Series Coupe, which is sadly not long for this earth, is a future classic, especially in 340 horsepower 1M Coupe form. But for some people, that's just not enough.
For those people — provided they have a lot of cash, a lot of guts and a lust for brutal speed that most do not possess — there is a man named Steve Dinan. For about $32,000, this man will turn your 1M Coupe into a 444 horsepower land missile known as the Dinan S3-R BMW 1M.
BMWBlog editor Shawn Molnar was the first person invited to drive and test this snarling Bavarian beast from Dinan, a man he describes as a kind of evil genius.
It's not what Steve Dinan will do to your bank account, but what he'll do to your BMW that is the focus of this article. Yes, Dinan's car modifications cost far more than those of most tuners – but here's the un-cooked truth of the matter: Steve Dinan runs an engineering firm that rivals some of the best racing outfits in the world. He is an unwavering megalomaniacal perfectionist when it comes to all things automotive, settling for nothing less than spot-on, every time. Nothing is stamped with his name – no parts shipped – unless they pass Steve's stringent standards. In fact – nothing leaves the shop unless Steve Dinan himself drives the modification part at great length and signs off on it.
So how did the car drive? Tune in to BMWBlog to find out. I'll give you a hint: words like "terrifying," "tire-punishing," and "stump-pulling torque" get tossed around a lot.