Despite only serving on the BMW press fleet for a fortnight before being dispatched to evo, Y952NBL had racked up some 2250 miles in numerous journalists' grubby mitts. This punishing two-week stint did nothing to harm the lustrous silver paint, supple black leather interior or crackling M Power straight-six. In fact if anything I suspect the brutal 'running-in' period contributed to the M Coupe's astonishing turn of speed.

Initial gripes were minimal; most centred on the driving position which suffered from a non-adjustable steering wheel and a lack of rearward seat travel. Not that my jockey-like 4ft 6in frame ever challenged the seat runners.

Unsurprisingly, all who drove the 325bhp M Coupe heaped praise on its ballistic performance which, despite being touted as the most accelerative BMW ever, still exceeded expectations. Nothing on the evo Fast Fleet could match it for sheer, savage, neck-yanking go. The 3.2-litre engine's extended rev-range allowed you to get well into three figures in third gear alone, but thanks to the M Coupe's comparatively low weight and a good spread of torque, you didn't have to hammer it into the redline to experience quasi-supercar shove.

It wasn't long before the call of the track lured me to Bedford Autodrome for an evoactive session on the awesome Gran Turismo circuit. It was here that the M Coupe's major failing came to light, namely the brakes, which completely wilted after three laps. From a manufacturer with such a sporting pedigree the stoppers really should have been stronger. No wonder some owners resort to fitting Porsche stoppers from the 993 Turbo.

Not content with cooking the brakes, I also blew the tread clean off the left rear tyre. A result of neglect (and some gratuitous showing-off) it served as a ΂£378 reminder to always adjust your tyre pressures for hot weather and circuit work. The financial pain ensured I wouldn't sacrifice another pair of rear Michelins to laziness.

As the summer months passed and the nights closed in, the M Coupe's hairier handling traits became more apparent. Always grippy and incisive on bone-dry tarmac, the broad-arched tail was less happy dealing with the cold and wet. Even with the ASR switched on it was still possible to have heart-stopping sideways moments, especially across mid-corner surface changes. The ASR system was good at reigning-in excess power at low speed in first or second gears, but at higher speed in third or even fourth the time it took to react to the wheelspin and the spike in lateral g was enough to let the tail get well out of line. You soon learned that respect was most definitely due.

Despite the enthusiastic use, it took 14,325 miles for the red service light to flicker into life, at which point I booked the M into my local BMW dealer, Sycamore of Peterborough. Not only did they take the car in at the last minute, they also gave it a thorough valet. Better still, thanks to a change in standard oil specification by the factory, NBL's sump was refreshed with new oil under warranty. Having psyched myself up for a wallet bashing, I could scarcely believe my luck when presented with a bill for a faintly absurd ΂£35.67.

Tyre bills were rather more scary. We got through two pairs of rears and a pair of fronts - that's ΂£1073 worth - during our time with the car. If we'd had it any longer I'm sure this expenditure would have become a more effective form of traction control. At least the fuel consumption was some compensation. I saw a best of 26mpg on a long motorway run, while even banzai B-road work struggled to dip it below 22mpg. Not bad for a big, high-revving six-cylinder. Shame the small tank limited range to a couple of hundred miles.

Faults were few and far between for most of our loan period. In fact apart from a freak incident where the power steering reservoir lid came adrift and allowed much of the fluid to escape (fortunately Andy Morgan noticed the problem and stopped before any harm was done), the M Coupe never made an unscheduled stop at a dealer. The air-con had a brief phase of misting rather than de-misting, but seemingly sorted itself out soon after. Now that's German efficiency. However, by the time the car went back, we were staring down the barrel of a large bill, as the clutch was showing signs of major wear and the brake pads were Rizla thin. With a new clutch costing ΂£471 fitted and replacement pads another ΂£243 it was lucky for the evo coffers that BMW came to collect the car before another visit to Sycamore.

Just prior to Christmas we took the entire Fast Fleet for a thrash across the North York moors. We all drove each other's cars, including guest drivers Tony Bailey and David Yu. Both were loyal to their own steeds, as you'd expect, but the M Coupe was next on their list of personal favourites.

It also did well in issue 43's cover story, where it took on a Porsche Carrera 4S, TVR Tuscan S, Honda NSX and Corvette ZO6. Though pitched in way over its price tag, it proved to offer most of the performance and charisma of its esteemed combatants for a fraction of the price.

All of which makes you wonder why the M Coupe has sold so dismally. Granted it's anathema to BMW's more mainstream brand values, but it's the brashness and roughneck dynamics that make it a truly memorable experience in a way the more accomplished M3 can't begin to match. What's more, there are enough dependable BMW genes in the mix to ensure you can live with it as a day-to-day prospect without any qualms. Perhaps when BMW finally gives it the chop, the M Coupe will get the recognition it deserves.