What an unassuming beast
NEW BMW M340I X-DRIVE: A PERFECT FAMILY SEDAN THAT WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY HOW TO TELL IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOUR ENGINE
Shaun Holland
On what was seemingly one of the coldest days of the year to date, I was presented with the opportunity to test one of the hottest sedans to hit the new car market, the BMW M340i X-drive.
I must admit that this new BMW M340i makes me want to be one of those fanboys.
The interior has got to be one of my favourite things on this 3 series. It feels like BMW listened to all my previous gripes and used that to redesign the dashboard. It has a more unique look and the red leather from the seats continues on the dashboard to give it a sportier feel.
This is all tied together with accent lighting on the door panels and dashboard. The M leather steering wheel feels great in your hands with the paddle shift behind each hand and M-specific digital instrument cluster which changes colours when you switch between driving modes.
I barely used the sound system because I was listening to the pops and the bangs coming out of the exhaust but I can tell you that this model had a Harman Kardon speaker system.
Some of the other outstanding features was the red and blue stripes on the seatbelts, which is an optional extra, and I also loved the size of the sunroof: it only has one glass panel but it’s much larger than normal.
The double-spoke 19” alloy wheels are very sporty and I really liked the fact the trim around the grille and the mirror had the same colour of the wheel on it, at first it looks like silver but BMW are calling this colour cerium grey which is also used on the exclusive double tailpipe trims.
There is so much to love about this 3 series and one of those things is definitely the engine.
The M340i uses the same B58 engine which is used in the Toyota Supra but this version makes a breathtaking 285kW and 500Nm of torque.
And when I say breathtaking I am not joking, the g force in this car is enough to take your passengers’ breath away. This is all put to the ground by an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and an M sport differential which has a mind of its own which helps optimise your stability and traction.
Don’t let this X-drive allwheel-drive system fool you into thinking that this 3 series won’t be fun because it isn’t rear wheel drive. I tested this car in the rain and icey cold conditions and when I accelerated I could still feel the rear end of the car come out at times, I still have fun and the X-drive was amazing at keeping the traction without you feeling like you are driving an allwheel drive car.
As with most of the BMWs I have driven I had no issues with the steering response and the suspension, the M340i X-drive actually has an adaptive M suspension that you can manually control so the car is specifically tailored to your driving needs.
All in all this is the perfect family sedan. It is such an unassuming beast when it is eco mode but as soon as you go into sports plus mode everything about the M340i x-drive changes and it feels like you are driving a proper sports car worthy of wearing that M badge.
The model we tested retailed at just over R1.2 million and, if you ask me, it is worth every penny.