Someone put a BMW M3 V8 into a 1 Series convertible with a 1M body
There are many custom cars which make us wish they’d been that way from the factory, and this unique BMW 1 Series is one of them.
The first-generation BMW 1 Series coupe and convertible have become modern classics of sorts, loved by some for being a mini 3 Series, while being modifiable enough on its own.
BMW’s most extreme factory version was the 1M – or technically the 1 Series M Coupé – which featured a higher output version of the 135i and 335i’s turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine, but for some this isn’t enough.
Due to the rarity of the 1M, many chasing more power have based their modified 1 Series on lesser variants, though not many have gone down the extreme path of making a 1M replica out of a convertible – and chucking a V8 under the bonnet.
That’s exactly what one owner in the UK has done though, with the finished product currently for sale via Pistonheads, showcasing the mad modifications to turn a basic 1 Series convertible into a V8-powered 1M tribute.
What started life as a 120i convertible, one of the more basic petrol-powered variants on offer, BMW specialists M Kraft swapped the 4.0-litre V8 engine from the E90-generation M3 into it, as well as its six-speed manual transmission.
While no specific figures were provided, the 120i’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine made up to 125kW and 210Nm in standard form, while the M3’s V8 produced 309kW and 400Nm.
To keep up with the extra power, there’s brakes from the BMW M4, sitting behind the wheels from a 1M, while body panels from the flagship 1 Series M Coupe are also fitted.
Inside, the owner opted from newer M4 Competition seats as well as a reworked interior by specialists Transcal.
According to the listing, £106,000 (A$202,400) was spent in 2024 and 2025 to create the V8-powered 1M convertible tribute, making its listed price of £56,500 (A$107,900) seem affordable by comparison.
