Of all the products offered by BMW M, the M340d has to be among the most obscure since many will find the concept of a performance diesel car in 2023 to be rather outdated. The fact it’s only sold in certain markets makes the car quite rare, but also interesting since it only has to face one rival – the Audi S4 TDI in its European guise. It went through a Life Cycle Impulse last year together with the entire 3er lineup and earned an optional carbon fiber roof, but only for the sedan. Now, Manhart is giving it a heavy dose of stamina.
The M340d LCI has had its inline-six diesel engine massaged by the German tuner to extract 380 horsepower and a colossal 770 Newton-meters (568 pound-feet) of torque. Not that the standard diesel sports sedan was weak as BMW gifts the car with an already healthy 340 hp and 700 Nm (515 lb-ft). We should point out that Manhart’s creation also outpunches the mighty ALPINA D3 S (355 hp and 730 Nm / 538 lb-ft).
Performance figures have not been disclosed, but with the twin-turbo B57 engine now making a lot more power, it’s certainly faster than the BMW and ALPINA models. We’ll remind you the duo needs 4.6 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill. As for top speed, the M340d xDrive is electronically capped at 155 mph (250 km/h) but upgrading to the D3 S unlocks a maximum velocity of 170 mph (273 km/h).
You can easily tell this isn’t an ordinary diesel M Performance sedan by the quad exhaust tips and custom 20-inch wheels complemented by H&R springs. The amped-up M340d has been lowered by 40 mm at the front axle and by 30 mm at the rear, while the body has gained a variety of carbon fiber add-ons. Inside, there are illuminated door sills, carbon shift paddles, and a carbon cover for the back of the front seats. As seen on the outside, the BMW roundel has been replaced inside by Manhart’s own badge.
It will be interesting to see for how long BMW is going to continue offering the M340d given the increasingly stringent emissions regulations. In the meantime, those who enjoy generous low-end torque, excellent fuel economy, and do a lot of highway miles can get this excellent all-rounder, which also comes in a more practical Touring guise.
Source: Manhart
