Page 53 - Car South Africa (February 2020)

taste of the new M340i. BMW’s ground clearance is perfectly suit-
claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4,4 ed to the billiard-smooth circuit.

seconds certainly seems plausible. However, some might nd the ride

In a real-world scenario, overtak- a touch too rm on local roads.
ing should be a cinch. The speedo- Fortunately, for those prioritising
meter climbs to 150 km/h before a comfort over dynamism, 18-inch
marker on the track suggests rm alloys are standard. The example

braking should be applied. we drove was tted with optional
The stoppers, with discs meas- 19-inchers.
uring 348 mm fore and 345 mm With the vehicle pointed in the
01 at the rear, do a commendable direction of the nal corner, the

job of reducing speed. But full slick eight-speed transmission
merit should go to the steering; it’s gears up a ratio as I depress the
perfectly weighted and quick. The short-travel pedal. Admittedly bit-
rear-wheel-biased all-wheel-drive ing off much more than I can chew,
system, meanwhile, inspires con- the car oversteers. The xDrive

dence when cornering, keeping system quickly steps in and keeps
the car planted, while the Pirelli P the rear composed. Approaching
Zero rubber provides ample grip. the straight, sport plus-mode now
The supportive M Sport seats, up- initiated, I relish the inline-six’s
holstered in bespoke Sensatec-Al- soundtrack. The M340i is both
cantara trim, keep you securely in sophisticated and fun to drive.

02 place. Again, taking into consid- Sporting a 3,0-litre turbopet-
eration its real-world application, rol engine generously endowed
I relish the inline-six’s soundtrack; the M340i should be adept at daily with 275 kW and 500 N.m, the
driving and especially capable as newcomer to the 3 Series line-up
the M340i is both sophisticated a long-distance cruiser. Equipped should slot in neatly between

and fun to drive with M Sport suspension, the the 330i (which received the
M340i’s 10 mm reduction in
second-highest road test score
from the CAR team in 2019) and
the still-to-arrive M3, which BMW
says will employ the most power-
ful engine in its segment (to the
tune of at least 375 kW).
The M340i xDrive does not
want for avour; it manages to

balance outright performance and
comfortable cruising capability
with aplomb. It boasts stellar
perceived interior build quality,
dynamic capability and an eager-
ness to be driven hard, all while
providing peace of mind with its
xDrive system.
Just one question remains:
does the new BMW M340i xDrive
have the same great taste as a
full-fat M car ? No, but it’s as near
as damnit.

03 01 Standard electronic M Sport rear
differential enhances traction and agility.
02 New M340i sheds 50 kg over previous
04 05 06
model. 03 Upgraded sport transmission
features hydraulic control system and
shorter gearing. 04 Model designation
displayed on the digital instrument cluster.
05 Grille aerodynamically optimised for a

low drag coefficient of 0,26 Cd. 06 Smooth
3,0-litre mill equipped with a new twin-
scroll turbocharger.

CARmag.co.za CAR FEBRUARY 2020 51