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Old 29th May 2021, 11:18   #1
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My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review

So Good;

- Engine Performance (B58D was the primary reason for my buy decision & quite simply the M340i is a car built around this special Engine)
- Gearbox (ZF8 never disappoints. This version is F-A-S-T, noticeably faster than the ZF8 on my F30 328i)
- Exclusivity (Only 40 Cars in India & the next lot will be limited too)
- Exterior Looks (Handsome Car, Love the Exteriors & Interiors)
- Handling (M Performance Suspension, M LSD etc)
- Pricing (Surprisingly well priced & VFM)
- xDrive (Rear Biased Weapon)

Not So Good;

- Customisation Options (No Option to choose Interior Colour Schemes, M Seats, Upholstery, Carbon Fibre Roof etc.)
- M340i Interior needed more distinguishing M Performance touches (v/s the regular G20)
- Weight (Heavy Car, Thanks to the xDrive and a larger engine)
- Boot Space (Compromised thanks to the Space Saver)
- Harman Kardon System (Good, but not great)

The Bad;

- Missing Features (Keyless Entry, 360 Deg. Camera Etc. missing at this price point is NOT DONE)
- Turning Radius (Poor, courtesy the xDrive & Aggressive -ve Camber on the front wheels)

Last edited by karan561 : 31st May 2021 at 02:04.
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Old 29th May 2021, 11:22   #2
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My BMW M340i: Initial Ownership Video Review.

Video Review;



The above video is a pure "Driving Review" of the BMW M340i XDrive. It covers all the emotional driving experiences in RAW Sounds as well as being CINEMATIC. The topics of discussion are ranging from B58D Engine Performance, M Sport Suspension Spring Rates, M LSD Locking Torque Numbers, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Tyres, Steering Pull Drift Compensation & the X-Drives Rear Biased-ness Demonstration.

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Old 29th May 2021, 11:25   #3
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What is the "M Performance" model line ?

What does that 'M' stand for in the M340i?

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-4ae8d998e32f494388e23ac51fe73371.jpg

Lately BMW has been accused of diluting the M brand by slapping M badges on every model under the sun with their M badges.

Major culprit or the prime accused of diluting the M Brand are the M Sport variants. Let's understand a "M Sport" variant is a mere visual/cosmetic, upgraded/accessorised BMW with M badges, M Sport Bumpers, Steering wheels, trim pieces etc. in most cases/variants which is all good & helps with sales.

In some cases an M Sport Package adds Coloured Brake calipers, Larger Wheels, M Sport suspension(or M Adaptive in higher models) hence although the M Sport package is mostly cosmetic, in some cases it can improve handling, if not exactly performance.

M Performance;

While in the M Sport variants the M Badges are showered on the BMW's to SELL, the M Performance line up earns the M Badges to PERFORM.

The M Performance line up is properly 'engineered' by BMW M right from the Engine, Suspension, Brakes, Differential, Sportier Tubeless Tyres (Which had been reserved only for M Models) etc adding Genuine Speed & Performance from the factory. All M Performance cars have larger, more powerful engines than the cars they’re based on. Some examples of M Performance cars are M550i, X5 M50i, M850i, M760i to name a few.

What is the M340i ? The answer to it is, the M340i is an M Performance BMW. This model line up of M Performance cars is targeting the likes of C43 & the Audi S4/5. Hence you may call the M Performance line up as Baby M or M Lite, whatever, but best not to miss out the M in front of the 340 (As some people on the forum unintentionally are missing out)

Not only cars like M340i, M440i etc are mentioned under BMW M on the website but also regularly featured officially on 'BMW M' social media platforms (Which the 'M Sport' cars never are) but also they get goodies right from the M Models like as under;

- BMW M Carbon Fibre Roof;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-m340i-cf-roof.png

(Image Source)

BMW's carbon-fiber roof has long been a hallmark of the BMW M Range, as this option reduces mass and lowers the centre of gravity. This is now available in the M Performance range and the image above is of the M340i. This establishes the overall seriousness shown by BMW for its M Performance line up & in this case the M340i i.e. very 1st M Performance 3 Series.

- BMW M Seats;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-m-seats-m340i.png

^ These BMW M Seats with integrated headrests are proper BMW M Seats & are available for the M340i.

- High Performance 'Tubeless' tyres;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-ps4s_sidewall_top.jpeg

^ Runflats have been signature BMW tyres and BMW keeps upgrading this tyre tech but still they are no match for high performance tubeless tyres in terms of Grip & other Performance parameters. Hence their 'M Cars' since years have been always been equipped with non-runflat tubeless tyres eg. Michelin PSS, PS4S, Pirelli PZero, Continental Sport Contact Series etc. Interestingly their M Performance line ups DO get the tubeless option from factory and that too is a Step in the right direction chosen by BMW for their M Performance cars towards BMW M.

Unfortunately, in India we did not get our variant specced with any of the above options let alone any customisation options. Thankfully I was able to source the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S* Marked with OE part nos. What that " * " Stands for behind the PS4S, more of that you can read below in the tyres section. Requesting the new prospective owners of the next lot M340i aspirants to question BMW India/Dealers & help your cars get these goodies. Though I have information that next lot will be exactly like the 1st but still its good to protest so as to let BMW India know that the Indian consumer is aware about the global trend/options. Will help them be more generous with customisation (which is now only reserved for the CBU's) options for the future.

But what about the M3/4 ?Let's be honest that the upcoming M3/4 will be a faster and a much more aggressive track weapon than this M340i. But still as an everyday driver, comfort, cabin noise or putting so much power in a RWD it may not be as good as a M340i. Hence the M3, most of the times might be a car which you would want to date & not own. And that's where the M Performance lineup comes in as a solution.

As you would have witnessed in my video posted above and continue reading through the other topics mentioned under in this thread your questions about this M Performance line up & overall credibility of that letter M standing strong in front of the 340 badge will get clearer.

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Old 29th May 2021, 23:43   #4
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M340i B58D Engine;

Engine Performance;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-engine.png

When it comes to BMW a large part of the enthusiasts and purists like us refuse to accept the recent cars as the best in any parameter. We are still stuck in the past and have a hard part in admitting that some modern BMW's or their engines are actually a better step in the right direction. But when it comes to the B58 both the enthusiasts & the purists community would agree that this version of the B58 is the absolute best 6 cyl. motor BMW has ever put in a non M 3 series.

Not only has this engine won The Engine of the year award multiple times but this engine was selected to resurrect the legendary SUPRA brand by Toyota, that really says a lot. (The B58 is the new 2JZ)

But, the B58 has been around since 2015, as this made debut in the previous gen F30 340i. After which it got a Technical Update (TU) and it was not merely a software tune up but a lot of parts were changed to improve performance and emissions;

- New twin-scroll turbocharger integrated into steel exhaust manifold for faster response and more power. Previously, exhaust manifold and turbo were two separate items.
- 25% reduction in turbo impeller mass for quicker response.
- New dual-branch exhaust system.
- Lower compression ratio to offset greater turbo boost.
- New eighth-generation DME 8.6T.1 engine management system.
- One-piece timing chain reduces friction compared to previous two-piece timing chain.
- Split cooling circuits – low temp for air-to-liquid intercooler and high temp for engine cooling.
- New high-precision direct injection operating at 350 bar of pressure, up from 200 bar in previous F30 340i sedan.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-m340i-b58-engine.jpg

^ This B58TU got 2 tunes there was a Middle Output & High Output tune & in the M340i it gets the upper limit Higher Output tune enabling this engine to make 382 HP & 500 NM of torque. The Engine Code is B58B30O1 & sometimes also called the B58D.

Let's break down the B58B30O1 engine Code;

B = BMW Group
5 = In Line 6 Cyl.
8 = TVDI (Turbo Valvetronic Direct Injection)
B = Petrol, Longitudinal Installation
3 = ]
0 = ] Both these numbers are the aprox. displacement, which in our case is 3.0L
O = Upper
1 = 1st Revision

Similarities with the S58 (i.e. M3/4, X3/4 Engine) ? Well, its a known fact that the S58 is based on this B58TU engine. About 30% parts are the same. Other than that another distinguishing factor is that the S58 is a Twin Turbo where as the B58 is Twin-Power (Twin Scroll) Single Turbo. Other Similarities are that the Intake Valves of both these engines are of the same design but the S58 gets some material upgrades, Belt Drives are similar but the vibration damper has been adapted to for higher RPMs for S58, Injectors are similar as well & finally the DME is same just that the S58 has a dedicated software to producer higher output.

But that is on Paper & we dont drive on paper, what the car actually feels is Overall much more powerful than the numbers suggest & its definitely an Underrated engine, for which BMW has been notorious to underquote their power & performance figures. Owners who have dynoed their M340is have got about 360 WHP & that with the drivetrain loss applied makes this car well over 400 HP mark at the crank.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-5.00.27-pm.png

Also the Performance numbers of 0-100 are definitely understated and to me this feels like it can complete that sprint in 4 secs Dead. Few engines manage to be packing such muscular performance & be silky smooth at the same time & sound great while doing all of that. The B58D in the M340i’s 3L is a dynamite. A 'Single' twin-scroll turbo(Termed Twin Power), DOHC (Dual Over Head Cam), 6 inline cylinders, 24 valves with mountainous torque; this B58 engine feels explosive, far beyond BMW’s 382 HP rating as I mentioned before.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-4.45.54-pm.png

Power arrives like a tidal wave & by the time you look down on any straight, you’re doing 20-30 km/h more speed than you’d guess. The only downside is that this engine is lacking a 'tiny' bit of power on the low down, because they've obviously turned the boost up in this upper limit tune of the B58 & when you do that the low end does get affected but that's just a tiny bit of sacrifice in comparison to the rewards you get in the mid range & up top which is just another level

Engine/Exhaust Sound;


The Sound of the engine has a good balance of being muscular & growly at low to mid RPMs & go high pitched & sound musically good with higher RPM's to the redline. It Pops on throttle lift off in the Sport+ Mode noticeably and while in Eco or Comfort it will never do so, which is great.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-exhaust-underbody.jpg

^ Interestingly 2 Pipes, split very early in the whole exhaust system probably to make it more efficient and also for more performance.

The Engine / Turbo sounds, Straight 6 rasp is allowed to be heard, thanks to the Exhaust not being too loud (Even in Sport+) Though there is some speaker trickery too, but that in combination with the Actual Engine and exhaust sounds make the M340i experience really Marvellous all the way to its 7000 RPM redline. You can hear the Engine/Exhaust sounds in the video I posted in post #2, here's a Screenshot from the video covering the Exhaust/Engine Sounds segment;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-9.30.45-pm.png

It's important to note that this factory fit exhaust is "Not" an M Performance exhaust but the standard one, hence an M Performance factory upgrade (Axle Back) is still available.

Overall the Engine Performance & Acceleration is relentless, its like punching a hole in the air ahead all the way to its redline. With this kind of pace I'm sure it will outrun every prior generation base M3's off the line, credit also goes to the XDrive, which we discuss next.

Last edited by karan561 : 31st May 2021 at 02:01.
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Old 30th May 2021, 00:47   #5
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M340i Gearbox;

Gearbox;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-6.10.01-pm.png

I am a Manual Gearbox Conservationist hence for me i would have loved the M340i in a Manual, but unfortunately BMW now only offers that on the M3 or the M4 in the 3 series line up and for the M340i we get the very special ZF 8 Speed A/T Gearbox.

This version of the ZF unit (GA8HP51X - XK4) absolutely nails the ratios & exploits the engines torque to extract maximum performance and optimise FE when required from the B58. When you push the stick to the left and drive in manual mode & sometimes with a total of 8 gears to select & you end up in the wrong gear still the Engine Power - Gearbox Tuning will PULL you from those low RPM's to speeds which will soon make you lift your leg off the throttle, I repeat "Even in the wrong gear "

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-4.43.55-pm.png

The shifts are quick, fluid & smart to read your intuitions making the paddle shifters redundant. Speaking of which, I am kinda underwhelmed by the paddle shifters. As they dont feel too special and needed some more work, specially for the M Performance models. My Personal favourite paddles in this segment are of the Jaguar XE's which in my opinion Jaguar absolutely nailed it with design, material, length & feel.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-5.50.43-pm.png

This gearbox really also contributes to making the M340i very Economical. During the running in period I had many opportunities to do Economy runs and getting 11 odd km/l in mixed city & highway conditions is not that hard. Also once on a fast 400 km inter city run where I wasn't trying to drive to get FE i got 9.2 km/l & that's pretty good. Also if you put the car in ECO PRO Mode the car goes into coast mode at cruising speeds. I have no doubts in saying that if one tries to feather the throttle on highways then achieving in the 14 km/l ball park is easy too. In fact fellow M340i owner Dieselite has already managed to achieve 14.2 km/l on a Pune-Mumbai-Pune Run while on an essential run during the lockdown.

Overall this ZF may not be as responsive as PDK or other complex Dual Clutch Boxes but it is very fast, smooth, economical & the more logical choice.

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Old 30th May 2021, 01:03   #6
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M340i xDrive Details

X-Drive;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-9.34.48-pm.png

At the Outset an X-Drive AWD System badge on a 3 Series is something which a lot of purists may not approve of, BUT lets just understand what this XDrive is all about in the M340i;

1) The Front wheels never get any more than 50% power/torque at any point in any situation.
2) The XDrive can send upto 80% power/torque to the rear wheels.

^ This really summarises the entire M340i "X-Drive" experience but to elaborate things;

I know a lot of people thinking or waiting to comment about aah, well it would have been better if it were a RWD even some journalists think the same too. I'm a RWD Man, I drive an E46 (200 HP) & a F30 (300 HP) both are RWD, but they both struggle to put down power (even with the traction control ON). But in the M340i as soon as you Engage the Sport or Sport Plus, you can feel the rear wheels doing work & overall it feels like a magically Rear Wheel Driven car, especially with the traction control off & when you have just entered into a handsome drift & feel you overdid it at that moment the XDrive comes to the rescue and fires you straight down the road. The car is willing to play as it does slide its back end out a bit at every corner exit in a smooth & predictable way.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-img_2524.jpg

Perfect amount of playfulness. When you switch off the DSC the car allows you to steer the car with your right foot, if you know what i mean.

Upon digging more information about this system I found out that this XDrive has been rated to handle a Maximum Transmissible Torque upto 1300 Nm. Hope this will be a good reference for a lot of people who have larger things in mind for their B58.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-img_2526.jpg

So yes not only does the XDrive pay importance to the traction but driving dynamics/pleasure is also highly prioritised. This car will be a proper weapon during the monsoons.

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Old 30th May 2021, 12:36   #7
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M340i xDrive Suspension, Handling & Ride Quality

Suspension, Handling & Ride Quality ;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-img_2522.jpg

The M Sport Suspension is a standard fitment for the Indian variant of the M340i, the Adaptive Suspension is not available even as an option. Overall it gets Stiffer & Shorter Springs compared to the standard suspension of the G20 (10mm lower than the G20 330i). Spring Rates are increased by 16% in this lowered M-Sport Suspension.

The front part of this M Sport Suspension seems designed to give more mechanical feedback to the steering wheel which is always a good thing and the rear is doing a great job in keeping the M340i nice and flat thanks to the Uprated Lift Related Passive Dampers. I notice this as in my F30 the rear was very bouncy (though that got corrected slightly in the F30 LCi) where as in the G20 M340i its sorted.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-img_2528.jpg

We also get More Negative Camber on the Front Wheels (-1 Deg +- 30') which help in the turn in & Stronger Anti-Roll Bars thanks to love sprinkled in on the M340i by the M division.

All of this translates to the Handling Performance which when putting the M340i into a corner the initial turn in is very good, with great mid corner balance & at corner exit is where it really excels, thanks to the xDrive.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-img_2539.jpg

On a winding road, the M340i feels at home. You end up using trees as braking markers as this setup keeps you engaged into the driving experience. Overall the handling is that good.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-aa798c30a0024576a170a024604ed02e.jpg

Credit also goes to the G20's Chassis, which is;

- 20% more rigid overall than the outgoing model, 50% more rigid in some places.
- Stiffer Bushings (For the M340i/d)
- Wider Track width.

I am glad that the Indian variant did not get the Adaptive dampers, in the long term perspective its advantageous to have less electronics. But on the flip side the current setup being stiff has an average ride quality on bad roads/undulations at lower speeds but gets better with speed.

If there's one negative which I would want to highlight in this overall fantastic Handling performance is the WEIGHT.

The compact 3 series has been growing larger, wider & tech savvy over the years. The M340i XDrive weighs 1745 Kgs (Kerb Weight). Thanks to the XDrive and a larger 3L 6cyl engine upfront the car weighs approx 200 Kgs more than the 2L 4cyl RWD 330i available for sale in India & that is a good number & hard to ignore when steering hard. The car's body rolls a bit, letting you feel that weight shift on the chassis in spite of the stiffer suspension of the M340i. This weight affects the "Chuckability" Quotient in the Handling department.

Steering;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-steering.png

- Largely Predictable, may get a bit artificial on long straights.
- The Steering does allow a conversation between the road and the car/driver (Better Tyres in my case do contribute this feel too), Does a good job in communicating how much load is there on the front side walls.
- More importantly when the traction control is switched off and the XDrive is sending most of its power to the rear wheels and you've managed to get a slide and at that moment when the XDrive throws some amount of power back to the front wheels to gain back control at that moment too the steering doesn't corrupt the driver involvement and steering feedback due to fresh torque feed to the front wheels in those situations.

A quick negative is that this steering system has a very poor turning radius for which there are primarily 2 reasons, one is the aggressive front camber & 2nd is the XDrive.

To summarise the steering feel it would be fair to say that the G20 M340i has succeeded in achieving a clearer & more precise dialogue between the driver and the road v/s the F30.

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S*;

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S come in 2 variety. One which are the regular PS4S & the other is the PS4S*. The "*" Marked ones are developed for BMW M division. Star Marked bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport 4S have a total of four different rubber compounds, while the standard tire only has two. These PS4*'s compound is similar to the more extreme Michelin Cup 2 tire, just with some added wet performance compound also the steel belting was made tighter in certain areas, and grooves in it help increase lateral rigidity under load. Overall I too did not know that a different PS4S exists till I came across this video;



Am happy to report that the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S I received DO HAVE THE "*" Mark/Symbol ;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-img_2530.jpg

Tubeless v/s Runflats - The PS4S* are;

- Lighter (Less Rolling Resistance)
- Having More Grip (Better Compound)
- More Comfortable (Much Softer compared to Runflats)

These PS4S*' are designed to hang on upto 0.94g on the skidpad.

Thanks to these Michelins & the M sport suspension the M340i feels nice and flat throughout.

Braking Performance;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-5.50.17-pm.png

- BMW brakes are getting better and better, I mean these brakes are far better than what you would have found on an M Car about 10 years ago.
- The M340i gets an M Sport Brake which constitute a 4 Piston setup at front and 2 piston at rear.
- The Increased Pedal Ratio aids the pedal feel.

Overall the brakes are absolutely spot on and really complement the entire M340i package.

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Old 30th May 2021, 13:09   #8
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M340i M LSD

M LSD;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-m-lsd.jpg

Another ingredient which adds the M Flavour to the M340i is the electronically controlled mechanical limited slip differential.

This Torque Vectoring M Sport Locking (Maximum Locking Torque is rated @ 2500 NM) Rear Differential seems to have a mind of its own & seems to know what the driver is doing and make the back end of the car to a point that it's about to spin out but it never does.

Its interesting to note that the system has been designed in such a way that the lock is closed if it senses intentional 'Oversteering" by reading the Yaw-Rate (Angular Velocity about its vertical axis) Signals & Throttle Pedal Input.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-9.47.43-pm.png

The advantages of this system are Improved Handling Performance, Optimised Traction & Great Driving Stability.

The M LSD is in action during Launches/Launch Control/Aggressive Drive Off Throttle Inputs, Stabilisation under lateral acceleration, Different Wheel Speeds, Different Road Surfaces (With Different coefficient of friction), Hard Cornering & Oversteering.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-5.20.32-pm.png

The M LSD really compliments and justifies the M Badge on the M340i

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Old 30th May 2021, 14:51   #9
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M340i Interior / Exterior

Interiors;

Beyond the familiar focus on the Driver this BMW Interior also places key prominence to an emotional balance between being Dynamic yet Calming.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-6.31.09-pm.png

The Digital Gauge cluster is very smooth, clear and lag free;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-6.35.15-pm.png

Driving Position is really spot on & it doesn't take time to find your ideal seating position, which is a big compliment to the ergonomics for the G20;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-6.37.40-pm.png

^ Really love the Sensatec + Alcantara combination on the seats. Sensatec = Fake Leather. Appreciate the usage of Animal Skin Alternative.

Harman Kardon System;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-6.38.14-pm.png

Total Speakers: 16 Speaker

The system is rated @ 464W

Configuration: 7 Mid Range 110 mm Speakers, 7 Aluminium Dome 26 mm Tweeters & 2 Sub Woofers

I personally am happy that the M340i got an upgraded Audio system and it really has a quality output. BUT its not that much better than the 9 speaker system in my F30 and I somehow feel that you really have to listen to music really loud for the system to show its premium-ness. Also IMO the bass could have been better. Overall I had higher expectations from this system.

The iDrive 7 remains one of the most intuitive systems on the market, But features such as the HUD really flare up the involvement & for those who cannot adapt to reverse revv gauges the fantastic Head-Up Display with shift lights adds the BMW M Driving Experience for the M340i.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-screenshot-20210530-8.37.06-pm.png

However, speaking of features its really disappointing to see that BMW India missed out on all of these features (Listed below) for the Indian Spec M340i otherwise the M340i could have been, well, PERFECT.

- Interior Colour, Seats & Leather Customisation Options Unavailable (In India)
- No Powered Trunk, it's available 3 GranLimousine.
- BMW Connected App Not Available in India.
- No Seat Ventilation or Cooled Seats.
- No 360 Deg. Camera.
- No Lumbar Support.
- No Keyless Entry.

Exteriors;

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-tod01820.jpg

One of my favourite things about this car is how understated it looks, though BMW has tried to make it look pretty aggressive by adding all those M Performance elements be it the new grille, functional front flaps or the trapezoidal exhausts. BMW’s signature kidney grilles have grown wider and taller once more (v/s the previous gen F30) but very acceptable v/s the Ugly full blown M Car.

Overall the M340i’s proportions preserve BMW classicism of the way a BMW sedan should be i.e. A Long hood, Swooping belt-line, A Hofmeister kink, Tight & Thick Rear 3/4.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-tod01812.jpg

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-whatsapp-image-20210531-15.33.47.jpeg

Even as this gen (G20) 3'er has grown in size (wheelbase, length, width, and height) the design looks compact enough and resolved.

My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review-tod01823.jpg

The M340i is Satisfying to behold, especially in this beautiful shade of Tanzanite Blue II Metallic.

Last edited by Aditya : 31st May 2021 at 15:36. Reason: As requested
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M340i Miscellaneous Observations;

Miscellaneous Observations;

- When the Gear Stick is in Manual Mode (To the left) Two Revv Counter lines appear at the top of the HUD and move to the middle to show when is it optimal to change the gear. Note: These shift lights appear only at the top of the revv range before the redline.
- Tyre Pressure Monitor shows Tyre Temperature too, which is a nice touch. BUT overall the recommended tyres pressure were too high (39Psi) and it was confusing to reset it. Had to refer the Owners Manual to finally manage to lower the tyre pressures without throwing a warning.
- Even though the M340i is an XDrive it uses an aggressive Staggered setup (225/40 R19 Front & 255/35 R19 Rear) proving how Rear biased the XDrive can be.
- The temp gauge had the word “cold” below it. The word “cold” disappears when the engine is warm enough once the temp. moves out of the blue zone.
- Leather Top Dashboard is missing (Available on international variants, may be as an optional extra). Would have added premium-ness to the cabin.
- Rear Windshield Electric Sun Blinds & Rear Doors Manual Sun blinds are missing (Are there in my F30)
- G20 is More Spacious & feels more airy than the F30 at the rear, even with the M340i's dark interior.
- Prefer the F30's rocker switch to change Drive modes v/s G20's individual buttons for every mode.
- The Horn Pad is too stiff, it seems its been designed to be such so that no one accidentally honks.
- Wireless Charger Pad is not good as the phone refuses to charge in certain positions of the pad.
- The exhaust sounds louder & dramatic when the car is fed Higher Octane Fuel (99)
- Laser lights only get activated after 60 km/h & when there is no oncoming traffic.
- Laser Lights get the Cornering function i.e. they do turn with Steering Inputs.
- Collision Avoidance shows a red signal & does throw a alarm (Gong !)
- Realised this summer that the A/C is good but not great.
- The HUD is larger (70% more projection to be precise).
- You can select the Drive Mode before starting the Car.
- If you open the boot, it tells you in the HUD.
- Front Camera would have been handy.
- M Seatbelts are a nice touch.

Last edited by karan561 : 31st May 2021 at 01:58.
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Old 30th May 2021, 22:09   #11
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Delivery Day Details;

I took delivery of my BMW M340i on 19th March 2021 from Navnit Motors, Mumbai. Here's the delivery video which I had filmed sometime back where some exclusive content from the Stockyard to Showroom delivery was filmed. This Video also covers the 19" 792M Wheels & Michelin PS4S* Tyre upgrade story, So If you haven't seen that video yet, then you can do so now;



A Detailed post was also made on the same in the Official Review Thread (BMW M340i xDrive Review).

I have opted for the 4th Year Extended Warranty & have no immediate plans on any performance modifications.

The Video Review & Thread was made after the running in procedure was complete i.e. > 2000 Kms as I was abiding by the defined guidelines diligently.

Will keep updating this thread regularly with Pictures, Stories & Overall Service Experience in the long term, Thank you all for reading & your attention.

Last edited by karan561 : 31st May 2021 at 01:57.
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Old 31st May 2021, 05:53   #12
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re: My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!
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Old 31st May 2021, 09:16   #13
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Re: My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review

Exceptional report of an exceptional car! Thanks for sharing this with us, Karan. Will go to our homepage tomorrow . After driving cars like this one and other powerful sedans, I am totally becoming a convert from RWD to AWD. What we give up in steering feel & weight, we gain in immaculate poise in high-speed driving & (especially) cornering. The way this car behaved on the mountain roads left me for days after the drive.

I love how your garage is shaping up. You must get a click of all the cars together. Also, time to sell the F30 328i now?

Quote:
Originally Posted by karan561 View Post
These shift lights appear only at the top of the revv range before the redline.
It's amazingly implemented.
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Old 31st May 2021, 11:50   #14
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Re: My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review

What an amazing review of a truly amazing car!
This is a true blue (heh) BMW performance car.

I agree with you, BMW has priced it really well for India. Your wheel upgrade is also tasteful.
Wish you many happy miles with this exceptional car. I am sure the next lot will also be sold out super fast.

How is the ground clearance for everyday driving in Mumbai?
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Old 31st May 2021, 17:44   #15
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Re: My BMW M340i xDrive : Initial Ownership Review

Thank you for the Excellent review and Video Karan. Surely provides much more insights into the ///M340i.

I feel the overall dashboard layout is much more subtle and less busy than the F30.

Man, I just love that aluminum Venner/ Trim, Looks so Classy. Also, Those alloys are truly making your car much more pleasing and understated.

Wish you tons of Happy Miles Ahead.
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