What was believed to be an all-wheel drive version of the next-generation BMW 1 Series was caught in late July and now our spy photographers have spotted what is possibly a high-performance version of the updated hatchback.
The clearest sign that something is amiss is the layout of the exhaust. Both the 128 and the 135 have a dual exhaust, but both have the twin pipes on the left side of the car, not split evenly between both sides like this prototype. That exhaust layout is most commonly seen on M-cars (which have twin pipes on both sides), so this could well be the long-talked-about 1 Series M (the M1 monicker being off-limits, BMW will have to get creative with this one). Up front behind the camo are hints of a larger lower air intake. It is not clear if the brakes are bigger than those on a current 135, though the calipers appear somewhat smaller.
There's no telling what the engine actually it is. A retuned version of the 135's twin-turbo I-6? Maybe even the M3's V-8 as a long shot? We'll just have to wait and see.