[ramki.grandhi]

Its hard to hate the new M340i, and yes you will earn that 25 lacs in few months but you may regret for not getting M340i for rest of your life.

Only way you can hate M340i is, just check how much of road tax, GST, insurance on tax, CKD taxes etc you will have to pay to government!
Btw, this is applicable to any car.

[AbhiJ]

There is no escaping it. Dont even try to resist. Welcome to the dark side.

I got my M340i as a project car in October 2024. My 2 cents on the car, and I ll start with the cons first.

Cons:

1. The 19 inch rims and RFT tyres arent really suited to Indian driving conditions.
2. The OEM brakes aren't good enough. But upgrades are available.
3. Rear space is limited.
4. The 2 litre 5 Series is cheaper than the M340i.
5. Running costs / Fuel costs are higher.

Pros:

1. The engine is an absolute gem. It is tried, tested and reliable. Its sounds amazing and redefines ones definition of speed.
2. The G20/B58 platform is HOT currently. Options for bolt on mods and accessories will make you feel like a kid in a candy shop.
3. The M340i community is an active, warm and helpful one. You ll get guidance for all your queries of ownership.
4. The LCI interiors are phenomenal. The screens are brilliant and the BMW software works flawlessly without lag.
5. The platform is tunable. I have tuned my car with an Stage 1 OTS tune and I am getting from 0-100 kmph in 3.65 seconds. And this is with NO hardware changes.

Check out this youtube video to understand the M340is true capabilities.

https://youtu.be/bAl0HLy1Yxc?si=no1zy7I9BEbbqTof

[nmn.070]

Drive the 330i back to back with the 340i. I think the gap isn't as mighty as you may imagine it to be. The 330i will be in your budget, look just as nice, offer greater comfort to your family and be easier on maintenance and running expenses. In gear acceleration is what matters most of the time and the 330i is no slouch. Better than to wait for the vrs anyway. Rwd is definitely worth going for.

[twincharger_gt]

Get a M340i, there are no other options once you have had a taste of it. The B58 is an absolute gem of an engine . You might get an EV with better specs but just the sound of that engine is legendary.

[Sandeepsunny]

I think you should first decide for whom this purchase is truly for. If it is just for you, then obviously m340i is the answer. If it is a family purchase then something like a kodiaq would better suit your needs if you travel frequently

[AMG Power]

Quoting from another thread - this may give you an idea how you would feel during your 5km drive 28 days a month

Originally Posted by georgesunnyt

Acceleration

I was expecting twice the shove into the seats compared to what I get from the N47 engine in my F30, since the B58 produces nearly twice the horsepower and has all-wheel drive. I was a little disappointed on this front. I guess I had extremely high expectations.

Don't get me wrong, the car is very quick and has a much higher sense of urgency, but somehow it didn't feel like it delivered twice the horsepower of the N47. Maybe it has to do with how linearly the power is delivered compared to how it is in turbo-diesels like the N47.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Quoting from another thread - this may give you an idea how you would feel during your 5km drive 28 days a month

This is bound to happen for someone coming from a BMW diesel. The powerband for both engines are very different. With diesels, you get that surge at around 2,500 ~ 3,000 rpm with the turbo spooled up and the engine in the meat of its powerband. So your foot and brain are accustomed to that and you expect the same during the test drive of the M340i. And given the numbers and the build up one has about the performance from the B58, you tend to be a little cautious with throttle input. In the end the actual experience does not match up to your expectations. The B58 is quite linear in its power delivery around these rpms. It explodes into life much higher in the rev range and by then (unless you are using paddles and ripping the car in the first few gears) you are doing crazy speeds which is only possible on expressways and long open stretches of roads which is an unlikely scenario with most test drives.

[AMG Power]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

which is an unlikely scenario with most test drives.

Make that most drives.

One of my drives of the 340i was on a closed very long stretch of road. The car got upto speeds as it should. However after certain speeds the brakes don’t appear capable of stopping the car. You tend to wonder what happened to the 340i’s brakes at those speeds. The brake pedal takes on a wooden feel with a very gradual shedding of speed. This could be tried on the closed road as it had lots of leeway to slow down the car even with the ‘wooden feel’ brakes.

This makes testing the upper limits of the car academic on most roads. Upgrade of the brakes is essential if one wants to drive this car the way it is meant to be driven.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Make that most drives.

One of my drives of the 340i was on a closed very long stretch of road. The car got upto speeds as it should. However after certain speeds the brakes don’t appear capable of stopping the car. You tend to wonder what happened to the 340i’s brakes at those speeds. The brake pedal takes on a wooden feel with a very gradual shedding of speed. This could be tried on the closed road as it had lots of leeway to slow down the car even with the ‘wooden feel’ brakes.

This makes testing the upper limits of the car academic on most roads. Upgrade of the brakes is essential if one wants to drive this car the way it is meant to be driven.

Very true! That's why high performance variants usually account for a small percentage of the total volumes for any car.

There seems to be a general consensus that the brakes could be better on the M340i, especially for those who like to track their cars often. These are listed as 'M Sport brakes', which I suppose have better stopping power than the standard option brakes fitted on the 330i/ 320d etc.. M performance brake kits are available as an optional extra in other countries. Don't know what's the scene here.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by karikaalan

2. Give the BMW 330i a try - more power than practically usable on Indian roads. G20 has established aftermarket options for eye candy.

Originally Posted by sunikkat

But then I did the mistake of taking my family for the test drive and after being driven in both, family was totally for 330Li and I had to go for it.

Originally Posted by nmn.070

Drive the 330i back to back with the 340i.

Drive the 330Li and the M340i back to back, but do NOT make the cardinal mistake of taking your wife along. Unless she is a speed freak herself, you will most probably end up with the 330Li if you do.

'Unfortunately', the 330Li is far more passenger / family-friendly than the M340i with that lovely rear seat and generally higher seating. Similarly, ageing parents and/or elders will certainly push for the former. Leaving aside these 'minor' matters, the M340i (LCI2) literally and figuratively blows away the 330Li.

Again, do remember TBHP association is inherently expensive throughout one's lifetime, and (usually negatively) affects marital bliss as well. Plus you know you're onto something when GTO replies to your first post.

[Sensible_Speed]

The M340i is less kinder to the environment on account of the 6 cylinder engine.

It's ride is notably harsher. BMWs have gotten progressively heavier through time.

This new one is the nose-heaviest yet. It does not change direction as satisfyingly or easily as an E36 perhaps.

The rims are easy to damage, owing the large size and low profile tires.

The touchscreen based climate controls will eventually drive you to take a hammer to the entire apparatus.

You will scrape every last bit of roadkill off the tarmac, given the atrociously low ground clearance.

There comes a time when your extended warranty will run out and the routine maintenance bills start floating up into stratospheric extremities.

Turbocharging takes away from the exhaust note. BMW plugs in artificial sounds through the speakers.

I can't think of any more reasons to "hate" this car. But, hope this list helps

[GTO]

Originally Posted by karikaalan

Sold harder by team-BHP than the BMW SA ever could hehe, thank you guys will keep you posted

Congrats! Not that you need anymore convincing now, but this is really epic stuff . The best driving machine you can buy today <1 crore. The "once in a lifetime sedan" you just have to redline on the open road to grin all day long, everything else (and EMI worries) can take a hike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o_N_ciNzhA

[Neelavi]

Frankly ride quality is no longer an issue with the LCI2. Had test driven the LCI1 multiple times and passed on for the same reason cited by others that family won’t be comfortable but with LCI2’s adaptive suspension, it’s actually a very comfortable ride. We are used to comfortable sedans like Superb and E class, and my family has absolutely no issues as far as ride comfort goes. My two boys clearly prefer the m340i and my wife doesn’t mind it either. Also have driven over enough speed breakers and did not feel that was an issue as well except may be the very tall ones. This is a one practical sports car for all purposes that you can enjoy with your family and totally worth it if you can stretch your budget.

The only cons I see are
1. The fuel bills will shoot up as the mileage can rapidly fall with spirited driving. Had given me anxiety initially to see the range dip so rapidly!
2. The low profile RFT’s may be more susceptible to damage though my car is too new to experience it. Think if it’s really bad, can always change the setup.

[lamborghini]

There's just one thing that will make you rethink the M340i: It's an M2.

Jokes aside, the car is brilliant as an usable, understated performance sedan. Yes, it would have been a whole lot more fun without the xDrive I believe, but even then - it's a car that is super easy to live with by and large.

[karikaalan]

Sorry couldn't post an indivitual reply, didn't expect the topic to catch on so fast! (will do so once I'm back to a PC). Appreciate the thoughtful replies by the forum members, esp. not taking the wife to other TD's and the car obsession affecting marriages were priceless!

Anyways, my two cents on driving a friend's GLC300d and being a passeger princess on a GLE 400 yesterday. Route Chennai Rifle Club (shotgun range) to the city. Note:- Feedback in comparison to 30minutes TD on the 340i LCI2 last month,

For
1. Suspension and comfort
2. Sound system
3. Driveability in Indian roads, esp. if we consider Kerala and off the highways where I will be doing most of everyday driving
4. Perceived badge value
5. Fuel efficiency of 15kmpl on the GLC makes it cheaper to own by 7L+ for the next 1Lakh km
6. Comminity is nothing like the G20. Yearly savings of few lakhs guaranteed as the car will remain stock for the years to come lol

Can live without
1. The price tag, just no.
2. Germans badging as AMG/M but not offering higher caliber engines for the GLA, X3 etc.,
3. ADAS. Perhaps we are just not there yet, couldn't figure how to turn it off in the middle of the drive

Meh
1. Driving posture - beemer steals the show here, especially on the highway stretches
2. Braking did not inspire confidence when the right foot got loose. Neither did the M Sport brakes, but that's another story.
3. As much as suspension and comfort feel good, the feel of the bum to the tarmac the 340i gave is missing. Felt like comparing a city-ride hybrid cycle to a proper carbon fiber lightweight road bike without suspension.
4. Excitement. While the low slung beemer might not be at her element in 90% of the roads, boy does she make every breath count the moment the right pedal goes loose!! The mercs did not manage to seduce me, much less sweep me off my feet!

Bottomline - was imagining dropping my son/daughter to school somewhere down the line and the answer was clear. I wouldn't be caught dead owning a merc for now, but the 340i with a wide grin any day! Beep beep!