Page 52 - Car South Africa (February 2020)

drive

BMW M340i xDRIVE STEPTRONIC ETA: NOW WHERE WE
Spoonful of DROVE IT

sweetener

Just how close does the new M340i come to Johannesburg
matching the flavour of a high-fructose M car?

By: Marius Boonzaier Marius_CARmag
*Claimed figures

Price: R981 711 Engine: 3,0-litre, 6-cyl, turbopetrol Transmission: 8-speed automatic Power: 275 kW @ 5 500-6 500 r/min Torque: 500 N.m @ 1 850-
5 000 r/min 0-100 km/h: 4,4 seconds* Top speed: 250 km/h* Fuel consumption: 7,5 L/100 km* CO : 172 g/km Rivals: Audi S4; Mercedes-AMG C43
2

+ dynamism; direct steering; interior quality; engine ride is a touch too rm

“ ite”, according to the Oxford new, G20-generation BMW M340i, upcoming M3. However, driving applied to items such as the mod-
This tag has been applied to the
the only petrol six-cylinder 3 Series
el designation and trapezoidal
Dictionary, is a denomination
L for foodstuffs containing less with some dubbing it an “M3-lite”. in the local line-up (the 330i makes tailpipe trims, which house two
sugar than their standard, high-in- But does the current range-top- do with a four-pot) here did give us actual exhaust outlets on either
calorie counterparts. Labelled as ping 3 (until the halo M arrives in the opportunity to put its limits to end of the revised rear apron.
such, the aforementioned products 2021, that is) lack any avour and, the test ... or try, at least. Keeping in mind this 3 will be

are usually advertised as a healthier if not, does it have the same great The M340i looks distinctive. utilised mainly for everyday use
alternative, boasting the “same taste as an M car? We headed to Setting it apart from the four-cyl- and long-distance journeys, I leave
great taste” as the original. Although Kyalami for a taste test. inder variants is an M Perfor- the eight-speed torque converter
there are health bene ts involved Granted, a racetrack is not a mance kit, studded kidney grille to its own devices. With sport

in cutting back on sugar, I remain place the M340i will often frequent. and Cerium Grey metallic nishes. mode engaged, I plant my foot on

sceptical of the latter promise. That’s a task more suited to the This model-speci c hue has been the accelerator and take my rst

50 CAR FEBRUARY 2020 CARmag.co.za