The last lot of this performance sedan was sold in a fraction of seconds. You know why? Well, firstly it is the ‘Made in India’ BMW M340i xDrive and not the imported one. You heard that right, the German brand has finally manufactured it in India and just to be precise, this one does not incurr those hefty import taxes.
Enthusiasts were waiting desperately for the second lot as they couldn’t get access to the first. For them, BMW India is back with the M340i and this time with the exact same price tag of Rs.62.9 Lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi). As the last lot was sold out really soon, we expect even this to give the same result. People who wish to buy it are advised to rush to their nearest dealership for bookings before the stock ends.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The second lot of BMW M340i xDrive is coming to India soon.
- Customers can now place the bookings for the new M340i.
- It will be featuring a 374BHP, 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine.
BMW M340i xDrive
Exterior & Design
A typical BMW design language that is very similar to the regular 3 Series. To begin with, it gets edition specific changes to the bumpers, chrome studded front grille, sportier exhausts and a new Sunset Orange exterior shade that allows this performance sedan to stand apart from the standard one.
Being the top-end variant for the entire trim, the new M340i will also feature a BMW Laserlight headlamp setup as standard.
Interior
Enter the cabin and again it remains very true to the conventional design language. But just to differentiate, BMW will be offering a new M-specific steering wheel, the brand’s latest, seventh-generation 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, heads-up display, fully digital instrument cluster and a Harman Kardon surround sound system as standard. As claimed by the company, the infotainment system on the M340i will now feature wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Sports seats are also introduced with Alcantara leather finishing for an upmarket feel inside the cabin.
Engine & Performance
Peek under the hood and there sits an explosive 3.0-litre six-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine. The overall output from this motor stands at 374HP and 500Nm while being mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive powertrain as standard. With so much power on board, this engine pushes the sedan to clock a triple-digit speed in just 4.4 seconds with top speed electronically limited to 250kmph.
Mechanicals
Unlike the regular 3 Series, BMW M340i gets an M-specific suspension setup, brakes and a limited-slip differential. All these changes on this performance sedan help to lower the ride height by 10mm which ultimately stiffens the suspension for better ride and handling.
Alternatives
In India, BMW M340i xDrive compares with some well-established rivals such as Audi S5 Sportback and Mercedes AMG C43 Coupe. Want to learn more about its recently launched competitor? Well, take a look at the new Audi S5 Sportback down below.
Audi S5 Sportback
Unlike BMW, Audi introduced the new S5 Sportback as a CBU unit and because of that, the higher price tag will of course going to threaten its overall sales. Currently, the new performance sedan comes powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine that propels 349HP and 500Nm of peak torque. As a result, even the S5 Sportback is nimble and it does a 0-100kmph sprint in just 4.8 seconds. Feature-wise, it gets a 10.1-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system, three-zone climate control, panoramic glass roof and Matrix LED headlights just to name a few.
Specifications
| Audi S5 Sportback | |
| Engine | 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 |
| Power | 349HP |
| Torque | 500Nm |
| 0-100kmph | 4.8 seconds |
| Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) | Rs.79.06 Lakhs |