BMW M340i xdrive Step.
Just how close does the new M340i come to matching the flavour of a high-fructose M car?
Price: R981 711 Engine: 3,0-litre, 6-cyl, turbopetrol Transmission: 8-speed automatic Power: 275 kw @ 5 500-6 500 r/min Torque: 500 N.m @ 1 8505 000 r/min 0-100 km/h: 4,4 seconds* Top speed: 250 km/h* Fuel consumption: 7,5 L/100 km* CO2: 172 g/km Rivals: Audi S4; Mercedes-amg C43
L“ite”, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a denomination for foodstuffs containing less sugar than their standard, high-incalorie counterparts. Labelled as such, the aforementioned products are usually advertised as a healthier alternative, boasting the “same great taste” as the original. Although there are health bene ts involved in cutting back on sugar, I remain sceptical of the latter promise.
This tag has been applied to the new, G20-generation BMW M340i, with some dubbing it an “M3-lite”. But does the current range-topping 3 (until the halo M arrives in 2021, that is) lack any avour and, if not, does it have the same great taste as an M car? We headed to Kyalami for a taste test.
Granted, a racetrack is not a place the M340i will often frequent. That’s a task more suited to the
upcoming M3. However, driving the only petrol six-cylinder 3 Series in the local line-up (the 330i makes do with a four-pot) here did give us the opportunity to put its limits to the test ... or try, at least.
The M340i looks distinctive. Setting it apart from the four-cylinder variants is an M Performance kit, studded kidney grille and Cerium Grey metallic nishes. This model-speci c hue has been
applied to items such as the model designation and trapezoidal tailpipe trims, which house two actual exhaust outlets on either end of the revised rear apron.
Keeping in mind this 3 will be utilised mainly for everyday use and long-distance journeys, I leave the eight-speed torque converter to its own devices. With sport mode engaged, I plant my foot on the accelerator and take my rst
taste of the new M340i. BMW’S claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4,4 seconds certainly seems plausible. In a real-world scenario, overtaking should be a cinch. The speedometer climbs to 150 km/h before a marker on the track suggests rm braking should be applied.
The stoppers, with discs measuring 348 mm fore and 345 mm at the rear, do a commendable job of reducing speed. But full merit should go to the steering; it’s perfectly weighted and quick. The rear-wheel-biased all-wheel-drive system, meanwhile, inspires con
dence when cornering, keeping the car planted, while the Pirelli P Zero rubber provides ample grip. The supportive M Sport seats, upholstered in bespoke Sensatec-alcantara trim, keep you securely in place. Again, taking into consideration its real-world application, the M340i should be adept at daily driving and especially capable as a long-distance cruiser. Equipped with M Sport suspension, the M340i’s 10 mm reduction in ground clearance is perfectly suited to the billiard-smooth circuit. However, some might nd the ride a touch too rm on local roads. Fortunately, for those prioritising comfort over dynamism, 18-inch alloys are standard. The example we drove was tted with optional 19-inchers.
With the vehicle pointed in the direction of the nal corner, the slick eight-speed transmission gears up a ratio as I depress the short-travel pedal. Admittedly biting off much more than I can chew, the car oversteers. The xdrive system quickly steps in and keeps the rear composed. Approaching the straight, sport plus-mode now initiated, I relish the inline-six’s soundtrack. The M340i is both sophisticated and fun to drive.
Sporting a 3,0-litre turbopetrol engine generously endowed with 275 kw and 500 N.m, the newcomer to the 3 Series line-up should slot in neatly between the 330i (which received the second-highest road test score from the CAR team in 2019) and the still-to-arrive M3, which BMW says will employ the most powerful engine in its segment (to the tune of at least 375 kw).
The M340i xdrive does not want for avour; it manages to balance outright performance and comfortable cruising capability with aplomb. It boasts stellar perceived interior build quality, dynamic capability and an eagerness to be driven hard, all while providing peace of mind with its xdrive system.
Just one question remains: does the new BMW M340i xdrive have the same great taste as a full-fat M car? No, but it’s as near as damnit.
I relish the inline-six’s soundtrack; the M340i is both sophisticated and fun to drive