Although BMW M division president Friedrich Nitschke emphasized earlier that the BMW M135i will not arrive to U.S. shores, later reports confirm that we will get the sporty small BMW after all.
Hinged on a technicality, the M135i concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show is based on a 1-Series hatchback layout exclusive to the European market. However, a recent interview between BMWblog and Nitschke revealed that an M135i tailored for the North American market will be available. Rather than a hatchback format, the American M135i will likely adopt a coupe or convertible layout.
No word on the official release date for the hot little Bimmer, but its arrival should come well after the standard second-generation 1 Series in 2013. BMW is refraining from revealing official performance numbers as well, but we expect the solid twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six to produce roughly 340 hp.
