Both on paper and in practice, the BMW M340i is a powerful vehicle. The engine that BMW chose for the M340i is largely responsible for the vehicle’s impressive stopping power. Engines like the B58B3 3.0L inline 6-cylinder have a record for being silky heathens. like Satan wearing a cigarette jacket. Never before have 382 horsepower been delivered with such grace.
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Update for 30,000 Miles
Our Portimao Blue BMW M340i had just come out of a protracted sleep and was back to logging kilometers when we last checked in on it. And what a pleasure it has been to take the wheel once more. Our car’s secure Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 winter tires have confirmed our choice not to pay for the $1860 all-wheel-drive option, despite Michigan’s recent frigid months being quite mild compared to past years. The M340i xDrive is a lot of fun, but its 382-hp 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine feels more engaged when it is only driving the rear wheels.
The M340i has traveled south to Birmingham, Alabama, after our last visit in order to check out Barber Motorsports Park and its magnificent museum. Then it was off to the sunny Daytona Beach, where regrettably no efforts at top speed on the legendary sand between there and Ormond Beach were made. BMW’s junior M 3-series made the journey down to Spartanburg, South Carolina, where it met up with the eagerly awaited new M3. Although there are many differences in staff perspectives regarding the comfort of the M340i’s front seats, staff photographer Michael Simari had no complaints during the course of 2000 miles. Our average fuel efficiency, which includes the countless miles we’ve traveled to the south as well as a journey east to Connecticut, is still a respectable 26 mpg.
The trip to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) for our Lightning Lap event, when we lapped a similar-spec M340i, was possibly the most significant one for our Bimmer. With a wide powerband and a desire to spin to redline that propels the car from turn to corner, the turbocharged six we drove for three days on the track confirmed our beliefs. During routine street driving, we’ve had no problems with how our example’s brake pedal feels. However, after several abusive laps, pressing the left pedal of the Lightning Lap car felt like putting our foot into a vat of mashed potatoes. The brakes remained effective throughout its outstanding 3:03.2 lap time despite the pedal’s sponginess.
By pushing the M340i to its absolute limits on VIR’s 4.1-mile Grand Course, we were able to demonstrate both our admiration for the car’s superb handling and our displeasure with the company’s sluggish steering. Former editor-in-chief Eddie Alterman remarked, “It’s impossible to refute the integrity of this car’s chassis or body control. Despite the feel-free steering, “the car is astonishingly easy to place on the road.” Some employees have become accustomed to the less-than-tactile tiller on the 3-series, with deputy testing director K.C. Colwell opining, “It’s not that horrible.” He probably changed his mind after driving the new M440i xDrive, which had an even less enjoyable variable-ratio steering system.
The M340i’s maintenance schedule has been simple; according to the car’s oil-life monitor, oil changes should be performed every 10,000 miles or so. The onboard computer warned us that the inline-six was once more running a quart low on oil just before our 30,000-mile service—the final of BMW’s three-year/36,000-mile complimentary planned maintenance. Over the length of our car’s stay, we have already added four quarts, which BMW maintains is a typical rate of use. Except for the delaminating chrome trim on the center of the fat-rimmed steering wheel, we haven’t heard any rattles or seen any other evident evidence of wear on the severely used interior components. It’s just 5000 miles to the next service station, where we’ll deal with the problem before the car’s 40,000-mile term expires.
I dislike
Let’s start with the component that contributes the most to the M340i package: the 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine. This BMW has 383 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, so it always has some zip. My tester only has rear-wheel drive, however BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive is an option. With a lovely soundtrack to accompany it all, the low-end torque enables gloriously simple passing on the motorway and fun-filled rips through backroads.
The M340i can really dance when coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts quickly. I absolutely enjoy downshifting with the paddle shifters that are placed on the steering wheel, especially to hear the exhaust snaps and crackles of the M340i.
I spent a lot of time driving Roadshow’s long-term BMW 330i, which has a fixed sport suspension, so I anticipated challenging driving conditions with the M340i on my winter-wrecked local roads. However, that never happened. The Adaptive M Suspension, an optional feature on this M340i, transforms the worst aspects of driving into a comfortable experience, demonstrating the system’s genius. The M340i has Pirelli winter tires, and a vehicle with lower-profile summer tires would probably accentuate the rough areas, but I’m still amazed by how well the M340i maintains its composure when navigating these obstacles.
The M340i is a pure joy to drive over long stretches of backroad thanks to stiffer springs, a torque-vectoring rear differential, updated anti-roll bars, and the aforementioned adaptive suspension parts. The automobile nose crashes into the corner after being whipped into it. Additionally, the stock M Sport brakes have a ton of bite. Although a little finicky and difficult to use, these brakes are a big improvement over the 330i’s stock brakes. I was never getting enough stopping power in that vehicle, but the M340i’s improvement is fantastic.
3 Series BMW (G20)
The BMW G20 (sedan version) and BMW G21 (wagon variant, branded as “Touring”) compact executive automobiles are part of the BMW 3 Series range’s seventh generation. The G20/G21, also referred to as the G20, has been in operation since mid-October 2018 and will undergo a renovation in July 2022.
The 330e plug-in hybrid vehicle is expected to go on sale in 2020, with the M340i, one of the first models in the lineup, going on sale in the spring of 2019. For the G20 generation, the 3 Series Gran Turismo fastback body type was dropped.
BMW has started manufacturing the G20 generation in Mexico for a number of international markets, including the US, in place of the Rosslyn factory in South Africa where the F30 generation vehicles were put together.
Is the M340i engine same to the M3?
BMW never produced a Touring version of the previous M3, but that didn’t stop one resourceful car enthusiast from creating his own. Mat has paired up this home-built super-estate against a BMW M340i Touring to see just how quick it is.
Nick did a fantastic job with his decision to construct his own BMW M3 Touring. Not content to simply swap an M3 engine into a 3 Series Touring, he painstakingly transferred as many of the M3’s mechanical components as he could. Therefore, everything from the suspension to the brakes to the gearbox to the interior to the bumpers and wiring to the widened wheel arches is purty M3 stuff.
But he didn’t stop there; he also had Evolve adjust the 3.0-liter straight-six twin-turbocharged engine of the standard M3. It now makes 540 horsepower and 680 Nm of torque.
That is much more than the M340i Touring and 90 horsepower and 230 Nm more than a regular M3 Competition. The 3.0-liter straight-six engine in the M340i is the same size as the one in the M3, but it only has one turbocharger and produces a lot less potent 374 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque.
However, before you dismiss the M340i Touring, think again. Compared to the notoriously troublesome seven-speed dual-clutch automatic in the M3, it boasts a considerably superior launch control system with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The M340i should have more traction off the mark because it distributes power to all four wheels rather than just the two at the back.
The new BMW M340i starts at roughly PS52,000, which is quite close to the price Nick paid to build his own M3 Touring. But wouldn’t it have been better for him to simply take his cash to a dealership and purchase an M340i? To learn more, follow the race.
What kind of engine is in the M340i 2021?
The 3.0L M Turbo 6-cylinder engine in the 2021 M340i xDrive model is enhanced for efficiency with 48V hybrid technology.
The BMW M340i is swift.
The M340i xDrive model of the 2021 3 Series has a 0-60 mph time of just 4.4 seconds. With the 3 Series, there are never any dull moments since it makes the most of its 3.0L engine to provide daily enjoyment for every drive.
Is the BMW M340i a true M automobile?
The renowned 3 Series sports sedan comes in four different model varieties: the 330i, 330e, M340i, and M3. The 330i has a reliable gasoline engine and is a well-balanced vehicle. The 330e is a cutting-edge hybrid sedan with electrified propulsion. The M340i is a striking sports car that features components and engineering from BMW M. The M3 is a real M model, which means it was created with performance driving in mind.
The BMW M340i is Twin Turbo, right?
In terms of on-road performance, the BMW M340i defeats the Audi S5. Both vehicles are performance vehicles, but the BMW model comes out on top. It has twin-scroll turbocharged six-cylinder engines that are capable of producing 383 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.
The BMW comes with xDrive AWD traction and the same eight-speed automatic transmission as the Audi S5. The 2021 model can accelerate from 0 to 100 in only 4.4 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds faster than the Audi S5’s time of 4.8 seconds.
Additionally, the 2021 BMW M340i outperforms the Audi S5 in terms of engine and gearbox sync. Its ZR transmission makes gearshifting smoother, quicker, and more responsive for the driver. On the other hand, when drivers flatten the throttle pedal, the Audi S5 exhibits a more pronounced latency when changing gears.
What distinguishes the 340i from the M340i?
Recently, this G20 BMW M340i has been a very active sports sedan. It has faced off against two Camaros, a 2007 Shelby GT500, and an F10 BMW M5, losing all but one of those battles in the previous month alone. But this time, the challenger just so happens to be a very comparable vehicle.
the BMW 340i from the F30 generation. A 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six engine with 322 horsepower (326 PS) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque debuted in 2015 to replace the 335i model.
The 340i was a fast automobile even when it was brand-new, reaching 60 mph (96 kph) in just under 5 seconds flat. But is it as speedy as the more recent G20 M340i? Obviously not. The latter also utilizes a 3.0-liter turbo-six with a 382 horsepower (387 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) torque rating. To 60, it takes around half a second less time.
Fortunately, both Bimmers have been tuned. The older 340i sports a catless downpipe, intake, and E50 tune whereas the M340i comes with a catless downpipe, charge pipe, and E50 setup. According to the uploader, the first run didn’t end in a clean start, but everything was OK the second time around. The two cars raced twice, each time starting from a roll at 40 mph (64 kph).
From our vantage point, the first run seemed to be flawless; the F30 may have jumped it somewhat, but the M340i had plenty of time to catch up. We won’t reveal what transpired during the second run, but suffice it to say that we would have liked to see a “best three out of five” scenario for these cars.
If you like the G20 BMW M340i, you can buy one for $54,700 at your nearby BMW dealer if you don’t mind having rear-wheel drive or $56,700 if you do and want the xDrive all-wheel-drive model. But make sure to bargain.