BMW M340i review, first drive: Fierce & demure

India Today

25-04-2025

Our country isn't one with a large population of performance cars, and for many reasons. In such a market, achieving more than 1,000 unit sales for a perfromance car is beyond commendable, and that is the car that you see on these pages, the 2024 BMW M340i.
The M340i looks the same from the front with the same kidney grille, swept-back LED headlamps, and the same bumpers and air vents.
advertisementIt hasn't been very long since we last drove the BMW M340i, which was beefed up with some minor changes and now it's time again. Oh did I sound like I was complaining? Not at all. The M340i is an idea, made into a product, it is the short-wheelbase 3 Series, with the B58 motor, that is a slightly watered down version of the S58, which powers the M2, M3 and M4. The result is a car that plays so heavily on its duality of nature, that it starts pulling on one's heartstrings after just a few minutes behind the wheel.
The rear of the M340i also does not get any changes.
advertisementNow given the choice between the BMW M2, the hot-headed RWD coupe or the M340i, I'd choose the former, but that is because the quintessential RWD sports coupe format is the peak in any enthusiasts mind, and the M2 by all means is the perfect car, especially with the stick-shifter. But lets say you are a bit sceptical about going all in into a hardcore sports coupe, and would like to have a car that isn't going to wake up the neighbors or scrape its belly on speed breakers, then you should keep reading.
The dashboard of the M340i follows BMW's standard layout of the German Marquee.
The 2024 MY M340i was launched last year in November, and it comes with even less changes when compared to the 2023 update that the car received. It looks exactly the same from the front, the same kidney grille, the same slim, swept-back LED headlamps, and the same bumpers and air vents. Over to the sides, the story continues as before, but the 19-inch jet black alloys are new, with a new design as well, which blends in much better with the overall theme of the car. It looks the same from the rear as well, with its lip spoiler, diffuser and twin exhaust tips. The Arctic Blue Race Metallic paint you see on the car on these pages is also new, and it is so much better compared to older Tanzanite Blue. Just because it looks 95 per cent the same doesn't mean it is a negative, I actually love the way BMW has given this car some sportier elements, such as the active cooling kidney grille which opens up to provide fresh air to the engine, the aerodynamic ORVM housings and the diffuser and twin-exhausts all let off the vibe that the M340i means business.
The interior of the M340i gets hidden aircon vents with toggle-like directional controls, along with electric seats.
Step inside, and the interiors are the same as the one before this, but with subtle changes. Firstly, it gets hidden aircon vents with toggle-like directional controls, neat, but not the simplest to operate. While the BMW Curved Display with the 12.3-inch and 14.9-inch displays has been a fixture since the last update, they now run the latest BMW OS 8.5. The seats now come wrapped in Vernasca leather, with M-specific stitching, very premium. And except for the placement of a couple of buttons on the central console, and a slightly altered steering with M Stitching and a red centre marker, its the same.
All the information about the M340i can be accessed through the 14.9-inch infotainment panel.
advertisementWell enough about how it looks, we all know that the money BMW asks for is all for the performance. And it is good money, considering that the B58 3.0-litre inline-six turbo-petrol makes 374bhp and comes paired to a mild-hybrid system adding 11bhp of boost. Interestingly, the engine used to make more power at 387bhp (before 2023), but the addition of the hybrid boost means that it still accelerates at breakneck pace, achieving 100kmph in just 4.4 seconds. That makes it the fastest ICE car made in India, as BMW never forgets to remind us. But all of this ferocity is reserved for the Sport mode, everything becomes red, the exhaust gets louder, the gearshift and the steering change their character to deliver performance which is unbelievable, the engine starts burning petrol into pure symphony, in a car which looks and behaves for the most part like a regular 3. And that is where I feel that the magic of the M340i resides.
The M340i rides on 19-inch wheels shod in Pirelli P Zero rubber.
advertisementI mean, if you want an thoroughbred four-door sportscar, then you have the M3, or the C-Class AMG, or the S5/RS5, but all of these cost a bit more, and their daily-life usability isn't great. The suspension is stiffened to take on 911s at the Nordschleife, the seats are more to keep your torso and bottom half in place as you pull unnatural G-forces, and the startup, and subsequent acceleration is enough to wake your neighbours and shame Italian purebreds. And this is where I feel that the M340i sits at an absolute sweet spot, it offers close performance to match its superiors, but in a package that is 100 per cent usable as a normal car. One of the key elements here is the adaptive dampers, now standard for the 2024 car, which in normal mode makes the car feel just as pliant as the regular 3, and gets stiff enough in Sport mode. It gets all kinds of creature comforts, 3-zone climate control, powered seats, and even a start-stop system to help save some fuel during traffic stops. In fact most people who noticed the car, assumed it was a regular 3, till I made the 6-cylinder hit the redline and the exhaust crackle and pop. Yes, I am an yob.
Meet a corner, and the M340i will remind you why the M Division is revered, it sticks to its line like nobody's business.
advertisementPerformance isn't something that the M340i lacks, you can try and push its limits, and well, it is beyond my skill at the very least. Acceleration is relentless, and it keeps going even beyond the 160kmph mark, and the gearbox just putting the engine into its desired revs every time, with the exhaust providing all the extra drama that you'll need. Meet a corner, and the M340i will remind you why the M Division is revered, it sticks to its line like nobody's business, the xDrive AWD with torque vectoring allowing the front wheels to claw at the tarmac while you contemplate going even faster through the corner, and the M Sport Differential ensuring that the car doesn't understeer.It isn't surprising that the M340i is a fan favourite, it comes with a proper motor, not a downsized one, genuine performance cred, and everyday usability, all of which blend together at a price that the M340i stays undisputed. Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine