We now know what the front grille
of the new BMW M3 and M4 will look like. Fortunately, there is still one
exciting model from the 3-Series family that doesn’t sport that grille and is
still quite fast: the M340i.
Unveiled last year in sedan form, the BMW M340i is
powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six delivering 369 HP and 500 Nm of torque that’s mated to an 8-speed Steptronic automatic
transmission and xDrive AWD system. It is able to sprint to 100 km/h in a a brisk 4.4 seconds and continue through to a 250 km/h top
speed.
A few months ago, the latest 3-Series was launched
in Touring guise, and it’s also available as an M340i. BMW recently let members
of the press drive the new M340i and have dropped this comprehensive gallery of
the two models which could very well be the pick of the 3-Series family.
Surely, the new M3 be significantly more powerful,
boasting 503 HP thanks to its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six; but let’s
be honest, even though it’s certainly desirable, no one car really fully
exploit that performance on a public road. What’s more, the new M3 won’t be
sold as a Touring, so if you want the extra practicality of an estate, the
M340i is the way to go.
Then we come to the looks. Not only does the M340i
has a much more appealing face than the new M3, but when adorned with a
selection of M Performance Parts, it does look quite aggressive.
