BMW 1M Coupe – up the Goodwood hillclimb we go

Claire takes the BMW 1M Coupe up the Goodwood hillclimb

Although the Goodwood Festival of Speed doesn’t actually start until tomorrow, today saw the second year of the Goodwood  Moving Motor Show kicking off a long weekend of petrolhead joy.

The USP of the Goodwood MMS is the opportunity – for a lucky few – to take an interesting bit of kit up the Goodwood hillclimb. This year Claire had drawn the tickets for the day; tickets Volvo had kindly sent us (many thanks, guys) after they asked us to drive the hillclimb in a Polestar car.

Unfortunately, and for reasons only they can really figure out, they decided that their insurance didn’t cover Claire (who is 23) to drive their Polestar cars at Goodwood. Which was a real shame and dumped a hole in the plans for today. So we made a call.

Within the hour BMW had arranged for Claire to take the latest poster car for BMW – the BMW 1M Coupe – for a little jaunt up the hillclimb, giving us a very appealing way to fill in the hole left by Volvo (many thanks to Gavin and Martin).

So what was the verdict, and did she actually manage to get a decent lick on in the 1M?

The verdict was a huge thumbs-up; the 1M Coupe is right up Claire’s street. Responsive, nimble, fun and quick. It could be a list of everything Claire would ask for in a car.

The help from the pro driver who rode shotgun to point out the best place to squeeze the brakes and the best place to floor the throttle was a great help for a hillclimb novice, although he did apparently close his eyes as Claire passed the flint wall at slightly more than a snail’s pace.

To top it all the Red Arrows display started as the 1M Coupe flew up the straight past the house, putting the icing on the cake of a fun drive. Or, as Claire claimed, there to add some extra pizazz to her display of BMW 1M Coupe driving prowess.

Thanks to BMW and Volvo for making the day possible.

More Goodwood goodness over the coming days.

(20 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK