When BMW introduced its short-lived 1 Series coupe, the E82 platform embraced the “pleasure of small.” To fans of BMW’s iconic 2002, it was an answer to the 3 Series—which had slowly bloated in size year after year and which, despite greater performance and amenities, had become altogether different cars from their series progenitors. Enthusiasts clamored for an ultimate 1 Series, imagining a pugnacious M variant in the spirit of the much-loved original M3, the E30 series built from 1985 to 1992. 
For 20…